Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A psalm of fearless trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: ² and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³ And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there. ⁴ And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: ⁵ but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb. ⁶ And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. ⁷ And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. ⁸ And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah. ¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore. ¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a ^[a]man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth. ¹³ Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. ¹⁴ And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. ¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah. ¹⁶ Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. ¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him. ¹⁸ And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more sad.

¹⁹ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her; ²⁰ and it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.

¹¹ For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the ^[a]gospel which was ^[b]preached by me, that it is not after man. ¹² For neither did I receive it from ^[c]man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it: ¹⁴ and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age ^[d]among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me, that I might ^[e]preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁷ neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to ^[f]visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, ^[g]save ^[h]James the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. ²¹ Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: ²³ but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now ^[i]preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc; ²⁴ and they glorified God in me.