Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord Helps People in Need

¹¹ When he got there, he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. ¹² The servant prayed:

You, Lord, are the God my master Abraham worships. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today. ¹³ The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water, ¹⁴ and I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.

^15-16 While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back, ¹⁷ Abraham's servant ran to her and said, “Please let me have a drink of water.”

¹⁸ “I'll be glad to,” she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. ^19-20 After he had finished, she said, “Now I'll give your camels all the water they want.” She quickly poured out water for them, and she kept going back for more, until his camels had drunk all they wanted. ²¹ Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the Lord had chosen.

²² The servant had brought along an expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets. When Rebekah had finished bringing the water, he gave her the ring for her nose^[a] and the bracelets for her arms. ²³ Then he said, “Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?”

²⁴ She answered, “My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. ²⁵ We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels.”

²⁶ Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, ²⁷ “I thank you, Lord God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him.”

⁹ For a widow to be put on the list of widows, she must be at least 60 years old, and she must have been faithful in marriage.^{[a] 10} She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home,^[b] helping people in need, and always making herself useful.

¹¹ Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ ¹² and become guilty of breaking their promise to him. ¹³ Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.

¹⁴ I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us. ¹⁵ Look what's already happened to some of the young widows! They have turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶ If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she^[c] should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.