Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

16 Now Sarai the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children; but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,

² She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,

³ She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

⁴ And he went in to her. But she, perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

⁵ And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.

⁶ And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

⁷ And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,

⁸ He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.

⁹ And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hand.

¹⁰ And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

¹¹ And again: Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

¹² He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men's hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.

¹³ And she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seen me. For she said: Verily here have I seen the hinder parts of him that seeth me.

¹⁴ Therefore she called that well, The well of him that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cades and Barad.

¹⁵ And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael.

¹⁴ Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever?

¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God saith: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Wherefore, Go out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing:

¹⁸ And I will receive you; and I will be a Father to you; and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

7 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God.

² Receive us. We have injured no man, we have corrupted no man, we have overreached no man.