Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
2 (D)Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 (E)From the rising of the sun to its setting,
(F)the name of the Lord is (G)to be praised!
4 The Lord is (H)high above all nations,
and his (I)glory above the heavens!
5 (J)Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who (K)looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He (L)raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them (M)sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He (N)gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
(O)Praise the Lord!
Isaac and Rebekah
24 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord (A)had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, (B)the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, (C)“Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that (D)you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 (E)but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, (F)who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, (G)‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ (H)he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then (I)you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant (J)put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to (K)Mesopotamia[a] to the city of Nahor.
Instructions for the Church
5 (A)Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, (B)younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3 Honor widows (C)who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn (D)to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for (E)this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 She (F)who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and (G)continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but (H)she who is self-indulgent is (I)dead even while she lives. 7 (J)Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for (K)members of his household, he has (L)denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.