Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Safe Place for Those Who Trust in the Lord

37 Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong. ² For they will soon dry up like the grass. Like the green plant they will soon die. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good. So you will live in the land and will be fed. ⁴ Be happy in the Lord. And He will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Give your way over to the Lord. Trust in Him also. And He will do it. ⁶ He will make your being right and good show as the light, and your wise actions as the noon day.

⁷ Rest in the Lord and be willing to wait for Him. Do not trouble yourself when all goes well with the one who carries out his sinful plans. ⁸ Stop being angry. Turn away from fighting. Do not trouble yourself. It leads only to wrong-doing. ⁹ For those who do wrong will be cut off. But those who wait for the Lord will be given the earth. ¹⁰ A little while, and the sinful man will be no more. You will look for his place, and he will not be there. ¹¹ But those who have no pride will be given the earth. And they will be happy and have much more than they need.

¹² The sinful man plans against him who is right with God. And he grinds his teeth at him. ¹³ The Lord laughs at him because He sees his day is coming. ¹⁴ The sinful have taken up their sword and their bow, to bring down the poor and those in need, and to kill those whose ways are right. ¹⁵ Their sword will cut into their own heart, and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ The few things that the man right with God has is better than the riches of many sinful men. ¹⁷ For the arms of the sinful will be broken. But the Lord holds up those who are right with Him.

Elimelech’s Family Moves to Moab

1 In the days when there were judges to rule, there was a time of no food in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to visit the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. ² The name of the man was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi. And the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the land of Moab and stayed there. ³ But Naomi’s husband Elimelech died. And she was left with her two sons, ⁴ who married Moabite women. The name of one was Orpah. The name of the other was Ruth. After living there about ten years, ⁵ both Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi was left without her two children and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

⁶ Then Naomi got ready to return from the land of Moab with her daughters-in-law. She had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had brought food to His people. ⁷ So she left with her two daughters-in-law and went on the way toward the land of Judah. ⁸ But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, each one of you return to your own mother’s house. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have done with the dead and with me. ⁹ May the Lord help you to find a home, each in the family of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they cried in loud voices. ¹⁰ They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” ¹¹ But Naomi said, “Return to your people, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I have more sons within me, who could become your husbands? ¹² Return, my daughters. Go. For I am too old to have a husband. If I had hope, if I should have a husband tonight and give birth to sons, ¹³ would you wait until they were grown? Would you not marry until then? No, my daughters. It is harder for me than for you. For the hand of the Lord is against me.” ¹⁴ Then they cried again in loud voices. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth held on to her.

¹⁵ Naomi said, “See, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.” ¹⁶ But Ruth said, “Do not beg me to leave you or turn away from following you. I will go where you go. I will live where you live. Your people will be my people. And your God will be my God. ¹⁷ I will die where you die, and there I will be buried. So may the Lord do the same to me, and worse, if anything but death takes me from you.” ¹⁸ When Naomi saw that Ruth would do nothing but go with her, she said no more to her.

¹ This letter is from Paul. I am in prison because of Jesus Christ. Brother Timothy is also writing to you, Philemon. You are a much-loved workman together with us. ² We are also writing to the church that meets in your home. This letter is also for our Christian sister Apphia and it is for Archippus who is a soldier together with us. ³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you His loving-favor and peace.

⁴ I always thank God when I speak of you in my prayers. ⁵ It is because I hear of your love and trust in the Lord Jesus and in all the Christians. ⁶ I pray that our faith together will help you know all the good things you have through Christ Jesus. ⁷ Your love has given me much joy and comfort. The hearts of the Christians have been made happy by you, Christian brother.

⁸ So now, through Christ, I am free to tell you what you must do. ⁹ But because I love you, I will only ask you. I am Paul, an old man, here in prison because of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I am asking you for my son, Onesimus. He has become my son in the Christian life while I have been here in prison. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you. But now he is of use to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him back to you. It is like sending you my own heart. ¹³ I would like to keep him with me. He could have helped me in your place while I am in prison for preaching the Good News. ¹⁴ But I did not want to keep him without word from you. I did not want you to be kind to me because you had to but because you wanted to. ¹⁵ He ran away from you for awhile. But now he is yours forever. ¹⁶ Do not think of him any longer as a servant you own. He is more than that to you. He is a much-loved Christian brother to you and to me.

¹⁷ If you think of me as a true friend, take him back as you would take me. ¹⁸ If he has done anything wrong or owes you anything, send me

the bill. ¹⁹ I will pay it. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will not talk about how much you owe me because you owe me your life. ²⁰ Yes, Christian brother, I want you to be of use to me as a Christian. Give my heart new joy in Christ. ²¹ I write this letter knowing you will do what I ask and even more.

²² Please have a room ready for me. I trust God will answer your prayers and let me come to you soon. ²³ Epaphras says hello. He is a brother in Christ in prison with me. ²⁴ Mark and Aristarchus and Demas and Luke who are workers with me say hello. ²⁵ May the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.