Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of degrees.

¹ ¶ When the LORD shall turn again the captivity of Zion, we shall be like those that dream.

² Then our mouth shall be filled with laughter and our tongue with singing; then they shall say among the Gentiles, The LORD has done great things with them.

³ The LORD has done great things with us, of which we shall be glad.

⁴ ¶ Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

⁵ Those that sow with tears shall reap with joy.

⁶ He that goes forth and weeps, bearing the precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

23 ¶ And Sarah was one hundred and twenty-seven years old; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

² And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

³ ¶ And Abraham stood up from before his dead and spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying,

⁴ I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

⁵ And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

⁶ Hear us, my lord; thou art a prince of God among us; in the best of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre so that thou may bury thy dead.

⁷ And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the sons of Heth.

⁸ And he communed with them, saying, If it is your desire that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and intercede for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar,

⁹ that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it to me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.

¹⁰ This Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron, the Hittite, answered Abraham in the audience of the sons of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,

¹¹ No, my lord, hear me; I give thee the field, and the cave that is therein, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to thee; bury thy dead.

¹² And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

¹³ And he spoke unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me; I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

¹⁴ And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

¹⁵ My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

¹⁶ ¶ Then Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

¹⁷ And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field that were in all the borders round about were made sure

¹⁸ unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

¹⁹ And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

3 ¶ Therefore when we could wait no longer, we agreed to remain in Athens alone

² and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of the Christ, to confirm you and to exhort you in your faith,

³ that no one should be moved in these tribulations, for you know that we are appointed for this.

⁴ For even when we were with you, we told you in advance that we must pass through tribulations, even as it has come to pass, and ye know.

⁵ For this cause I, also, not waiting any longer, have sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter has tempted you and our labour is in vain.