Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

^40-42 I long to obey them! Therefore in fairness renew my life, for this was your promise—yes, Lord, to save me! Now spare me by your kindness and your love. Then I will have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust your promises.

⁴³ May I never forget your words, for they are my only hope. ^44-46 Therefore I will keep on obeying you forever and forever, free within the limits of your laws. I will speak to kings about their value, and they will listen with interest and respect.

⁴⁷ How I love your laws! How I enjoy your commands! ⁴⁸ “Come, come to me,” I call to them, for I love them and will let them fill my life.

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God appeared to him and told him, “I am the Almighty; obey me and live as you should. ^2-4 I will prepare a contract between us, guaranteeing to make you into a mighty nation. In fact you shall be the father of not only one nation, but a multitude of nations!” Abram fell face downward in the dust as God talked with him.

⁵ “What’s more,” God told him, “I am changing your name. It is no longer ‘Abram’ (‘Exalted Father’), but ‘Abraham’ (‘Father of Nations’)—for that is what you will be. I have declared it. ⁶ I will give you millions of descendants who will form many nations! Kings shall be among your descendants! ^7-8 And I will continue this agreement between us generation after generation, forever, for it shall be between me and your children as well. It is a contract that I shall be your God and the God of your posterity. And I will give all this land of Canaan to you and them, forever. And I will be your God.

^9-10 “Your part of the contract,” God told him, “is to obey its terms. You personally and all your posterity have this continual responsibility: that every male among you shall be circumcised; ¹¹ the foreskin of his penis shall be cut off. This will be the proof that you and they accept this covenant. ¹² Every male shall be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. This applies to every foreign-born slave as well as to everyone born in your household. This is a permanent part of this contract, and it applies to all your posterity. ¹³ All must be circumcised. Your bodies will thus be marked as participants in my everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ Anyone who refuses these terms shall be cut off from his people; for he has violated my contract.”

¹⁵ Then God added, “Regarding Sarai your wife—her name is no longer ‘Sarai’ but ‘Sarah’ (‘Princess’). ¹⁶ And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and make her the mother of nations! Many kings shall be among your posterity.”

¹⁷ Then Abraham threw himself down in worship before the Lord, but inside he was laughing in disbelief!^[a] “Me, be a father?” he said in amusement. “Me—100 years old? And Sarah, to have a baby at 90?”

¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “Yes, do bless Ishmael!”

¹⁹ “No,” God replied, “that isn’t what I said. Sarah shall bear you a son; and you are to name him Isaac (‘Laughter’), and I will sign my covenant with him forever, and with his descendants. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, all right, I will bless him also, just as you have asked me to. I will cause him to multiply and become a great nation. Twelve princes shall be among his posterity. ²¹ But my contract is with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah next year at about this time.”

²² That ended the conversation and God left. ²³ Then, that very day, Abraham took Ishmael his son and every other male—born in his household or bought from outside—and cut off their foreskins, just as God had told him to. ^24-27 Abraham was ninety-nine years old at that time, and Ishmael was thirteen. Both were circumcised the same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether born there or bought as slaves.

13 Continue to love each other with true brotherly love. ² Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! ³ Don’t forget about those in jail. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, for you know what they are going through.

⁴ Honor your marriage and its vows, and be pure; for God will surely punish all those who are immoral or commit adultery.

⁵ Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.” ⁶ That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, “The Lord is my Helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me.”

⁷ Remember your leaders who have taught you the Word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and try to trust the Lord as they do.

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God, not from ceremonial rules about eating certain foods—a method which, by the way, hasn’t helped those who have tried it!

¹⁰ We have an altar—the cross where Christ was sacrificed—where those who continue to seek salvation by obeying Jewish laws can never be helped. ¹¹ Under the system of Jewish laws, the high priest brought the blood of the slain animals into the sanctuary as a sacrifice for sin, and then the bodies of the animals were burned outside the city. ¹² That is why Jesus suffered and died outside the city, where his blood washed our sins away.

¹³ So let us go out to him beyond the city walls (that is, outside the interests of this world, being willing to be despised^[a]) to suffer with him there, bearing his shame. ¹⁴ For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.

¹⁵ With Jesus’ help we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name. ¹⁶ Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to him.