Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
113 Praise the Lord.
Praise him, you who serve the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord.
2 Let us praise the name of the Lord,
both now and forever.
3 From the sunrise in the east to the sunset in the west,
may the name of the Lord be praised.
4 The Lord is honored over all the nations.
His glory reaches to the highest heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God?
He sits on his throne in heaven.
6 He bends down to look
at the heavens and the earth.
7 He raises poor people up from the trash pile.
He lifts needy people out of the ashes.
8 He causes them to sit with princes.
He causes them to sit with the princes of his people.
9 He gives children to the woman who doesn’t have any children.
He makes her a happy mother in her own home.
Praise the Lord.
Abraham’s Servant Finds a Wife for Isaac
24 By that time Abraham was very old. The Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. 2 The best servant in his house was in charge of everything Abraham had. Abraham said to him, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3 The Lord is the God of heaven and the God of earth. I want you to make a promise to me in his name. I’m living among the people of Canaan. But I want you to promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. 4 Instead, promise me that you will go to my country and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son Isaac from there.”
5 The servant asked Abraham, “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this land? Then should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 “Make sure you don’t take my son back there,” Abraham said. 7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, took me away from my father’s family. He brought me out of my own land. He made me a promise. He said, ‘I will give this land to your family after you.’ The Lord will send his angel ahead of you. So you will be able to get a wife for my son from there. 8 The woman may not want to come back with you. If she doesn’t, you will be free from your promise. But don’t take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under Abraham’s thigh. He promised to do what his master wanted.
10 The servant chose ten of his master’s camels and left. He loaded the camels with all kinds of good things from his master. He started out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor.
Instructions About Widows, Elders and Slaves
5 Correct an older man in a way that shows respect. Make an appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers. 2 Treat older women as if they were your mothers. Treat younger women as if they were your sisters. Be completely pure in the way you treat them.
3 Take care of the widows who really need help. 4 But suppose a widow has children or grandchildren. They should first learn to put their faith into practice. They should care for their own family. In that way they will pay back their parents and grandparents. That pleases God. 5 A widow who really needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. Night and day she keeps on praying. Night and day she asks God for help. 6 But a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still living. 7 Give these instructions to the people. Then no one can be blamed. 8 Everyone should provide for their own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of their own family. If they don’t, they have left the faith. They are worse than someone who doesn’t believe.
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