Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Ruth Is Loyal to Naomi

1 ^1-2 Before Israel was ruled by kings, Elimelech from the clan of Ephrath lived in the town of Bethlehem. His wife was named Naomi, and their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. But when their crops failed in Israel, they moved to the country of Moab.^[a] And while they were there, ³ Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with only her two sons.

⁴ Later, Naomi's sons married Moabite women. One was named Orpah and the other Ruth. About ten years later, ⁵ Mahlon and Chilion also died. Now Naomi had no husband or sons.

^6-7 When Naomi heard that the Lord had given his people a good harvest, she and her two daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab and go to Judah. As they were on their way there, ⁸ Naomi said to them, “Don't you want to go back home to your own mothers? You were kind to my husband and sons, and you've always been kind to me. I pray that the Lord will be just as kind to you. ⁹ May he give each of you another husband and a home of your own.”

Naomi kissed them. They cried ¹⁰ and said, “We want to go with you and live among your people.”

¹¹ But she replied, “My daughters, why don't you return home? What good will it do you to go with me? Do you think I could have more sons for you to marry?^{[b] 12} You must go back home, because I am too old to marry again. Even if I got married tonight and later had more sons, ¹³ would you wait for them to become old enough to marry? No, my daughters! Life is harder for me than it is for you, because the Lord has turned against me.”^[c]

¹⁴ They cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth held on to her. ¹⁵ Naomi then said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and to her gods! Why don't you go with her?”

¹⁶ Ruth answered,

¹⁸ When Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped urging her to go back.

Shout Praises to the Lord

^11 (A) Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here.^[a] He also went into a much better tent that wasn't made by humans and that doesn't belong to this world. ¹² Then Christ went once for all into the most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.

^13 (B) According to the Law of Moses, those people who become unclean are not fit to worship God. Yet they will be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf. ¹⁴ But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. This is why his blood is much more powerful and makes our^[b] consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.

The Most Important Commandment

(Matthew 22.34-40; Luke 10.25-28)

^28 (A) One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?”

^29 (B) Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. ³⁰ You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ ^31 (C) The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.”

^32 (D) The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God. ^33 (E) It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, “You are not far from God's kingdom.” After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions.