Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s Praise
11 Teach me your way, O Lord.
I will walk in your truth.
Give me wholehearted commitment to fear your name.
12 I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your mercy toward me,
and you have delivered my soul from “the lowest hell.”[a]
The Plea Repeated
14 God, the arrogant rise against me.
A mob of ruthless men seeks my life.
They pay no attention to you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me.
Give your strength to your servant.
Save the son of your maidservant.
17 Give a sign of your goodness for me.
Then those who hate me will see it and be put to shame,
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
The Descendants of Ishmael
12 Now this is the account about the development of the family line of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, had borne to Abraham.
13 The following are the names of the sons of Ishmael and the tribes that came from them, arranged in the order of their birth:
The firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth. Then came Kedar, Adbe’el, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, arranged by their settlements and by their camps. They were twelve chiefs, each with his own tribe.
17 The total years of the life of Ishmael were one hundred thirty-seven years. When he breathed his last and died, he was gathered to his people. 18 His people lived between Havilah and Shur, east of Egypt, as you go toward Ashshur. He lived in hostility toward[a] all his relatives.
Letter to the Church in Smyrna
8 To the messenger of the church in Smyrna write:
The First and the Last, who was dead and came to life again, says this:
9 I know[a] your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich. And I know the blasphemy that comes from those who say they are Jews but are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear anything that[b] you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will suffer for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.