Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Davidic Song of Ascents
Hope in the Lord
131 Lord, my heart is not arrogant,
nor do I look haughty.
I do not aspire[a] to great things,
nor concern myself with things beyond my ability.
2 Instead, I have composed and quieted myself
like a weaned child with its mother;
I am like a weaned child.
3 Place your hope in the Lord, Israel,
both now and forever.
25 Meanwhile, I thought it best to send Epaphroditus—my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need—back to you. 26 For he has been longing for[a] all of you and is troubled because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow on top of another.[b] 28 Therefore, I am especially eager to send him so that you may have the joy of seeing him again, and so that I may feel relieved. 29 So joyfully welcome him in the Lord and make sure you honor such people highly, 30 because he came close to death for the work of the Messiah[c] by risking his life to complete what remained unfinished in your service to me.
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