Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Israelis Become Slaves
8 Eventually a new king who was unacquainted with Joseph came to power in[a] Egypt. 9 He told his people, “Look, the Israeli people are more numerous and more powerful than we are. 10 Come on, let’s be careful how we treat them, so that when they grow numerous, if a war breaks out they won’t join our enemies, fight against us, and leave our land.” 11 So the Egyptians[b] placed supervisors over them, oppressing them with heavy burdens. The Israelis[c] built the supply cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelis,[d] the more they multiplied and flourished, so that the Egyptians[e] became terrified of[f] the Israelis. 13 The Egyptians ruthlessly forced the Israelis to serve them, 14 making their lives bitter through hard labor with mortar, bricks, and all kinds of outdoor labor. They ruthlessly imposed all this[g] work on them.
Pharaoh Orders Male Children Killed
15 Later, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah. 16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth,” he said, “watch them as they deliver.[h] If it’s a son, kill him; but if it’s a daughter, let her live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and didn’t do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead,[i] they let the boys live.
18 When the king of Egypt called for the midwives, he asked them, “Why have you done this[j] and allowed the boys to live?”
19 “Hebrew women aren’t like Egyptian women,” the midwives replied to Pharaoh. “They’re so healthy that they give birth before the midwives arrive to help[k] them.”
20 God was pleased with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 Because the midwives feared God, he provided families[l] for them. 22 Meanwhile, Pharaoh continued commanding all of his people, “You’re to throw every Hebrew[m] son who is born into the Nile River,[n] but you’re to allow every Hebrew[o] daughter to live.”
Moses is Born
2 A man of the family of Levi married the daughter of a descendant of Levi. 2 Later, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a beautiful[p] child, and hid him for three months. 3 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus container, coated it with asphalt and pitch, placed the child in it, and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 Then his sister positioned herself some distance away in order to find out what would happen to him.
Pharaoh’s Daughter Adopts Moses
5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile River[q] to bathe while her maids walked along the river bank. She saw the container among the reeds and sent a servant girl to get it. 6 When she opened it and saw the child, the little boy suddenly began crying. Filled with compassion for him, she exclaimed, “This is one of the Hebrew children!”
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the nursing Hebrew women so she can nurse the child for you?”
8 Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Go,” so the young girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter instructed her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I’ll pay you a salary.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 After the child had grown older,[r] she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses,[s] because she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
A Davidic Song of Ascents
God is for Us
124 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men came against us,
3 then they would have devoured us alive,
when their anger burned against us.
4 Then the flood waters would have overwhelmed us,
the torrent would have flooded over us;
5 the swollen waters would have swept us away.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who did not give us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s trap.
The trap has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
Dedicate Your Lives to God
12 I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.[a] 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper,[b] pleasing, and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you. 4 For we have many parts in one body, but these parts do not all have the same function. 5 In the same way, even though we are many people, we are one body in the Messiah[c] and individual parts connected to each other. 6 We have different gifts based on the grace that was given to us. So if your gift is prophecy, use your gift[d] in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is serving, devote yourself to serving others.[e] If it is teaching, devote yourself to teaching others.[f] 8 If it is encouraging, devote yourself to encouraging others.[g] If it is sharing, share generously.[h] If it is leading, lead enthusiastically.[i] If it is helping, help cheerfully.[j]
Peter Declares His Faith in Jesus(A)
13 When Jesus had come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They said, “Some say[a] John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[b] the Son of the living God!”
17 Then Jesus told him, “How blessed you are, Simon son of Jonah,[c] since flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, though my Father in heaven has. 18 I tell you that you are Peter,[d] and it is on this rock[e] that I will build my congregation,[f] and the powers of hell[g] will not conquer it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom from[h] heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited[i] in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted[j] in heaven.”
20 Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.[k]
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