Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Davidic

Confidence in the Lord

Abram and Lot Part Ways

13 Abram traveled from Egypt, along with his wife and everyone who belonged to his household^[a]—including Lot—to the Negev.^[b]

² Now Abram had become quite wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold. ³ He journeyed by stages from the Negev^[c] to Bethel, the place where his tent had formerly been, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴ where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

⁵ Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks of sheep, herds, and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them living together, because they had so many livestock that they could not stay together. ⁷ There was strife between the herdsmen in charge of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen in charge of Lot’s livestock. Also, at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

¹⁴ After Lot had separated from Abram, the Lord told Abram, “Look off to the north, south^[a], east, and west^[b] from where you’re living, ¹⁵ because I’m going to give you and your descendants all of the land that you see—forever! ¹⁶ I’ll make your descendants as plentiful as^[c] the specks of^[d] dust of the earth, so that if one could count the specks of^[e] dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted. ¹⁷ Get up! Walk throughout the length and breadth of the land, because I’m going to give it to you.”

¹⁸ So Abram moved his tent and settled beside the oaks of Mamre that are by Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.

² Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilators!^{[a] 3} For it is we who are the circumcision^[b]—we who worship in the Spirit of God^[c] and find our joy in the Messiah^[d] Jesus. We have not placed any confidence in the flesh, ⁴ although I could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he can place confidence in the flesh, I have more reason to think so.^{[e] 5} Having been circumcised on the eighth day, I am of the nation of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As far as the Law is concerned, I was a Pharisee. ⁶ As for my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. As far as righteousness in the Law is concerned, I was blameless.

⁷ But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah.^{[f] 8} What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Messiah^[g] Jesus, my Lord. It is because of him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish^[h] in order to gain the Messiah^{[i] 9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but one that comes through the faithfulness^[j] of the Messiah,^[k] the righteousness that comes from God and that depends on faith. ¹⁰ I want to know the Messiah^[l]—what his resurrection power is like and what it means to share in his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ though I hope to experience the resurrection from the dead.

Pursuing the Goal

¹² It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah^[m] Jesus.