Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

VAU.

⁴¹ ¶ Let thy mercy come unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy spoken word.

⁴² And I shall answer him that reproaches me, by saying that I trust in thy word.

⁴³ ¶ And take not at any time the word of truth out of my mouth; for I wait for thy judgment.

⁴⁴ So shall I keep thy law continually from age to age.

⁴⁵ ¶ And I will walk at liberty, for I sought thy commandments.

⁴⁶ I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

⁴⁸ I will lift up My hands unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

16 ¶ Now Sarai Abram’s wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

² And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing; I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

³ And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar, her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

⁴ ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

⁵ Then Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee; I have given my maid into thy bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes; the LORD judge between me and thee.

⁶ But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleases thee. Then Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her face.

⁷ ¶ And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

⁸ And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where didst thou come from and where wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

⁹ And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hands.

¹⁰ ¶ And the angel of the LORD also said unto her, I will multiply thy seed so exceedingly that it shall not be numbered for the multitude.

¹¹ And the angel of the LORD yet said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard thy affliction.

¹² And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

¹³ And she called the name of the LORD that spoke unto her, Thou God that is seen: for she said, Have I not also here seen the back of him that sees me?

¹⁴ Therefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; {well of the living one who sees me} behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵ ¶ And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? and what communion does light have with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord does Christ have with Belial? or what part do the faithful have with the unfaithful?

¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing; and I will receive you

¹⁸ and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

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

² Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.