Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of Solomon.
127 If the Lord doesn’t build a house,
the work of the builders is useless.
If the Lord doesn’t watch over a city,
it’s useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.
2 It’s useless for you to work from early morning
until late at night
just to get food to eat.
God provides for those he loves even while they sleep.
3 Children are a gift from the Lord.
They are a reward from him.
4 Children who are born to people when they are young
are like arrows in the hands of a soldier.
5 Blessed are those
who have many children.
They won’t be put to shame
when they go up against their enemies in court.
Boaz Marries Ruth
4 Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there. Right then, the family protector he had talked about came by. Then Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend. Sit down.” So the man went over and sat down.
2 Boaz brought ten of the elders of the town together. He said, “Sit down here.” So they did. 3 Then he spoke to the family protector. He said, “Naomi has come back from Moab. She’s selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention. I suggest that you buy the land. Buy it while those sitting here and the elders of my people are looking on as witnesses. If you are willing to buy it back, do it. But if you aren’t, tell me. Then I’ll know. No one has the right to buy it back except you. And I’m next in line.”
“I’ll buy it,” he said.
5 Then Boaz said, “When you buy the property from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth. She is from Moab and is the dead man’s widow. So you must marry her. That’s because his property must continue to belong to his family.”
6 When the family protector heard that, he said, “Then I can’t buy the land. If I did, I might put my own property in danger. So you buy it. I can’t do it.”
7 In earlier times in Israel, there was a certain practice. It was used when family land was bought back and changed owners. The practice made the sale final. One person would take his sandal off and give it to the other. That was how people in Israel showed that a business matter had been settled.
8 So the family protector said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he took his sandal off.
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses. You have seen that I have bought land from Naomi. I have bought all the property that had belonged to Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I’ve also taken Ruth, who is from Moab, to become my wife. She is Mahlon’s widow. I’ve decided to marry her so the dead man’s name will stay with his property. Now his name won’t disappear from his family line or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
6 At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. 7 It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. 8 But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 The blood of Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will save us from God’s anger. 10 Once we were God’s enemies. But we have been brought back to him because his Son has died for us. Now that God has brought us back, we are even more secure. We know that we will be saved because Christ lives. 11 And that is not all. We are full of joy in God because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of him, God has brought us back to himself.
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