Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul ·praises [exalts; glorifies; magnifies] the Lord [1 Sam. 2:1–10];
47 my ·heart [spirit] rejoices in God my Savior [Ps. 35:9],
48 because he has ·shown his concern for [noticed; looked favorably on] his ·humble [lowly] servant girl [1 Sam. 1:11].
[L For look/T behold] From now on, all ·people [L generations] will ·say that I am [call me] blessed [Ps. 138:6],
49 because the ·Powerful [Mighty] One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 ·God will show his mercy [L His mercy is/continues] ·forever and ever [L to generations and generations]
to those who ·worship and serve [L fear; reverence] him [Ps. 103:17].
51 He has done mighty deeds ·by his power [L with his arm; C a metaphor for strength].
He has scattered the people who are proud
·and think great things about themselves [or in the schemes they devise; L in the thoughts/intentions of their hearts].
52 He has brought down ·rulers [the powerful] from their thrones
and ·raised up [exalted] the ·humble [lowly].
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Ps. 107:9]
and sent the rich away ·with nothing [empty-handed].
54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
·remembering to show them [mindful of his] mercy
55 as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his ·children [descendants; L seed] forever [Gen. 17:7, 19].”
Samuel’s Birth
1 There was a [certain] man named Elkanah son of Jeroham from ·Ramathaim [Ramah; C just north of Jerusalem] in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. Elkanah was from the ·family [or region] of Zuph. (Jeroham was Elihu’s son. Elihu was Tohu’s son, and Tohu was the son of Zuph ·from the family group of Ephraim [an Ephraimite].) 2 Elkanah had two wives named Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none [C childlessness carried a serious social stigma].
3 Every year Elkanah left his town of Ramah and ·went up [traveled] to Shiloh [C the central worship place at that time, 30 miles north of Jerusalem, where the tabernacle was located] to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts] and to offer sacrifices to him. Shiloh was where Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, served as priests of the Lord. 4 ·When [L On the day] Elkanah offered sacrifices, he always gave ·a share of the meat [portions] to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But Elkanah always gave Hannah ·a double portion of the meat because he loved her and the Lord had kept her from having children [or only one portion of the meat even though he loved her, because the Lord had kept her from having children; C only one portion would be needed since there was no child to feed]. 6 ·Peninnah [L Her rival/foe] would ·tease [taunt] Hannah and ·upset [provoke; irritate; make fun of] her, because the Lord had ·made her unable to have children [L closed her womb]. 7 This happened ·every year [L year after year] ·when [whenever] they went up to the house of the Lord at Shiloh [1:3]. Peninnah would ·upset [taunt; provoke] Hannah until Hannah would cry and not eat anything. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you ·sad [downhearted]? ·Don’t I mean more [or Am I not better] to you than ten sons?”
9 Once, after ·they had eaten their meal [L eating and drinking] in Shiloh [1:3], Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on ·a chair [the seat] ·near the entrance to [by the doorpost of] the Lord’s ·house [temple; Tabernacle]. 10 Hannah was so ·sad [anguished; deeply distressed; L bitter] that she cried bitterly ·and [as she] prayed to the Lord. 11 She made this ·promise [vow], saying, “Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts], if you will look on the ·sorrow [affliction; misery; humiliation] of your maidservant, and will ·remember [L remember and not forget] me, and will give ·me [L your maidservant] a son, I will give him back to ·you [L the Lord] all the days of his life, and no one will ever ·cut his hair [L touch his head] with a razor [C indicating consecration to the Lord as a Nazirite; Num. 6:1–5].”
12 While Hannah kept praying [L before the Lord], Eli watched her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying ·in her heart [silently]; her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “·Stop getting [L How long are you going to stay…?] drunk! ·Throw away [Get rid of; Put away] your wine!”
15 Hannah answered [L and said], “No, sir, I have not drunk any wine or ·beer [T strong drink; C an alcoholic beverage made of grain]. I am ·a deeply troubled woman [very discouraged; oppressed in spirit], and I was ·telling the Lord about all my problems [L pouring out my heart/soul to/before the Lord]. 16 Don’t think ·I am [your maidservant is] an ·evil [worthless] woman. I have been praying all this time ·because I have many troubles and am very sad [L out of great anguish/anxiety and sorrow/resentment].”
17 Eli answered, “·Go! I wish you well [Go in peace!]. May the God of Israel ·give you what [L grant the request/petition] you asked of him.”
18 Hannah said, “May ·I always please you [your servant find favor in your sight].” So she left and ate something, and ·she [L her face/countenance] was not sad anymore.
The Old Agreement
9 The first ·agreement [covenant; contract; C given to Israel through Moses; 8:7, 13] had ·rules [regulations; requirements] for worship and a ·place on earth for worship [L earthly sanctuary/holy place]. 2 The ·Holy Tent [T Tabernacle; Ex. 25:8–9; 26:1] was ·set up [constructed; prepared] for this. The first area in the Tent was called the Holy Place. In it were the lampstand [Ex. 25:31–39] and the table [Ex. 25:23–30] with the ·bread that was made holy for God [consecrated bread; bread of presentation/offering; Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–8]. 3 Behind the second curtain was a ·room [section; L tent] called the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies; Ex. 26:31–34]. 4 In it was a golden altar for burning incense [Lev. 16:12–13] and the ·Ark [box; chest] ·that held the old agreement [L of the covenant/contract; Ex. 25:10; 26:33], covered [L completely; on all sides] with gold. Inside this Ark was a golden jar of manna [Ex. 16:33–34], Aaron’s rod that once grew leaves [Num. 17:1–11], and the stone tablets of the ·old agreement [covenant; contract; Ex. 25:16; 40:20; Deut. 10:2]. 5 Above the Ark were the ·creatures that showed God’s glory [or glorious cherubim; Ex. 25:18–22; C angelic beings representing God’s presence and glory; Gen. 3:24; Ezek. 9:3; 10:1–22], ·whose wings reached over [L overshadowing] the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover; Lev. 16:2]. But we cannot ·tell everything about [discuss in detail] these things now.
6 When everything was made ready in this way, the priests went into the ·first room [outer room; L first tent] ·every day [regularly] to ·worship [serve; minister; perform their priestly duties; Num. 28:3]. 7 But only the high priest could go into the ·second room [inner room; L second one], and he did that only once a year [Ex. 30:10; Lev. 16:15, 34]. He could never enter the inner room without taking blood [C from the sacrificial animal] with him, which he offered to God for himself and for sins the people did ·without knowing they did them [unintentionally; in ignorance]. 8 The Holy Spirit uses this to show that the way into the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; L holy things; T Holy of Holies] ·was not open [or had not yet been revealed] while the ·system of the old Holy Tent [or outer room of the Tabernacle; L first tent/Tabernacle] was still ·being used [in place; standing]. 9 This is an ·example [illustration; symbol] for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices offered cannot make the conscience of the worshiper ·perfect [clear; pure]. 10 These gifts and sacrifices were only about food and drink and special [ceremonial; ritual] washings. They were ·rules for the body [or external regulations], ·to be followed [in force; applying] until the time of God’s ·new way [reformation; new order].
The New Agreement
11 But when Christ came as the high priest of the good things ·we now have[a] [L that have come], he entered the greater and more perfect ·tent [T tabernacle]. It is not made ·by humans [L with hands] and does not belong to this ·world [creation; created order]. 12 Christ entered the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; L holy things; T Holy of Holies] ·only once—and for all time [L once for all; 7:27; 10:10]. ·He did not take with him [L …not by means of] the blood of goats and calves. ·His sacrifice was [L …but by means of] his own blood, and by it he ·set us free from sin forever [L obtained/secured eternal redemption/liberation]. 13 The blood of goats and bulls [Lev. 16:14–16] and the ashes of a ·cow [young cow; heifer; Num. 19:2, 17–18] are sprinkled on the people who are [C ritually] unclean, and this ·makes their bodies clean again [restores their body to ritual purity]. 14 How much more is done by the blood of Christ. He offered himself through the eternal ·Spirit [or spirit; C most likely the Holy Spirit, though possibly Christ’s own eternal spirit, or as a “spiritual” and eternal sacrifice] as a ·perfect [unblemished] sacrifice to God. His blood [C signifying his sacrificial death] will make our consciences ·pure [cleansed] from ·useless acts [or acts that lead to death; L dead works; 6:1] so we may ·serve [worship; offer priestly service for] the living God.
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