Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked
Of David.[a]
37 Do not fret because of evildoers;
do not be envious of doers of wickedness.
2 For like the grass they will dry up quickly,
and like green vegetation they will wither.
3 Trust Yahweh and do good.
Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.[b]
4 Take pleasure in Yahweh as well,
and he will give to you the requests of your heart.
5 Commit to[c] Yahweh your way;
Trust also on him and he will act.
6 Then he will bring forth your righteousness like the light,
and your justice like the noonday.
7 Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him.
Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way,
about a man making plots.
8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
Do not fret; it only brings evil.
9 For evildoers will be cut off,
but those who wait for Yahweh—
they will possess the land.
10 And[d] yet a little while and the wicked will not be,
and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.
11 But the afflicted will possess the land,
and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plans evil against the righteous,
and gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow
to throw down the poor and the needy,
to kill those upright in their way.
15 Their sword will enter into their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16 The little belonging to the righteous is better
than the wealth of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but Yahweh supports the righteous.
Ruth Meets Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 Now Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek for you security that things may be good for you? 2 So then, is not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he is winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 Wash, anoint yourself, put your clothing on, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. 4 And when he lies, take notice of the place where he lies. And you shall go and uncover[a] his feet and lie down, and he shall tell you what to do.” 5 And she said to her, “I will do all that you say.”
6 And she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 And Boaz ate and drank until his heart was merry[b] and then he came to lie at the end of the grain heap. And she came in quietly and uncovered[c] his feet and lay down. 8 And it happened in the middle of the night the man was startled and he reached out and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your garment[d] over your servant because you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “You are blessed by Yahweh my daughter. You did better in this last kindness than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And so then my daughter, do not be afraid. All that you ask I will do for you, for the entire assembly of my people knows that you are a worthy woman. 12 Now truly I am a redeemer, but there is also a redeemer of a closer relationship than me. 13 Stay tonight,[e] and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good; but if he is not willing to redeem, then as Yahweh lives,[f] I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
The Lineage of King David
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and Yahweh enabled her to conceive,[a] and she bore a son. 14 And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be Yahweh who today did not leave you without a redeemer![b] And may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be for you a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better for you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 And Naomi took the child and she put him on her bosom and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 and Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 and Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed, 22 and Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
The Sermon on the Plain: The Beatitudes
17 And he came down with them and[a] stood on a level place, and a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast district of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled by unclean spirits were cured. 19 And the whole crowd was seeking to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.
20 And he lifted up his eyes to his disciples and[b] said,
“Blessed are the poor,
because yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are those who are hungry now,
because you will be satisfied.
Blessed are those who weep now,
Because you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For their fathers used to do the same things to the prophets.
The Sermon on the Plain: Woes
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
because you have received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are satisfied now,
because you will be hungry.
Woe, you who laugh now,
because you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe whenever all people speak well of you,
for their fathers used to do the same things to the false prophets.
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