Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (A)your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was (B)beautiful in figure and appearance. 18 Now Jacob (C)loved Rachel, so he said, “(D)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days (E)because of his love for her.
Laban’s Treachery
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my [a]time is completed, that I may (F)have relations with her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast. 23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob had relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his female slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(G)What is this that you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (H)deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not [b]the practice in our place to [c]marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (I)you shall serve with me, for another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
The Lord’s Wonderful Works in Behalf of Israel.
105 (A)Give thanks to the Lord, (B)call upon His name;
(C)Make His deeds known among the peoples.
2 Sing to Him, (D)sing praises to Him;
[a](E)Tell of all His [b]wonders.
3 Boast in His holy name;
May the (F)heart of those who seek the Lord be joyful.
4 Seek the Lord and (G)His strength;
(H)Seek His face continually.
5 Remember His [c](I)wonders which He has done,
His marvels and the (J)judgments [d]spoken by His mouth,
6 You [e]descendants of (K)Abraham, His servant,
You sons of (L)Jacob, His (M)chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God;
His (N)judgments are in all the earth.
8 He has (O)remembered His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded to a (P)thousand generations,
9 The (Q)covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His (R)oath to Isaac.
10 Then He (S)confirmed it to Jacob as a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “(T)To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the [f](U)portion of your inheritance,”
Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.
A Song of Ascents.
128 (A)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who (B)walks in His ways.
2 When you (C)eat the (D)fruit of the labor of your hands,
You will be happy and (E)it will go well for you.
3 Your wife will be like a (F)fruitful vine
[a]Within your house,
Your children like (G)olive plants
Around your table.
4 Behold, for so shall a man
Who fears the Lord be blessed.
Our Victory in Christ
26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for (A)we do not know what to pray for as we should, but (B)the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with [a]groanings too deep for words; 27 and (C)He who searches the hearts knows what (D)the mind of the Spirit is, because He (E)intercedes for the [b]saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that [c]God [d]causes (F)all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are (G)called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He (H)foreknew, He also (I)predestined to become (J)conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the (K)firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He (L)predestined, He also (M)called; and these whom He called, He also (N)justified; and these whom He justified, He also (O)glorified.
31 (P)What then shall we say to these things? (Q)If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who (R)did not spare His own Son, but (S)delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring charges against (T)God’s elect? (U)God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who (V)condemns? Christ Jesus is He who (W)died, but rather, was [e](X)raised, who is (Y)at the right hand of God, who also (Z)intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from (AA)the love of [f]Christ? Will (AB)tribulation, or trouble, or (AC)persecution, or (AD)famine, or (AE)nakedness, or (AF)danger, or sword? 36 Just as it is written:
“(AG)For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly (AH)conquer through (AI)Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither (AJ)death, nor life, nor (AK)angels, nor principalities, nor (AL)things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from (AM)the love of God that is (AN)in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Mustard Seed
31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “(A)The kingdom of heaven is like (B)a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that (C)the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”
The Leaven
33 He spoke another parable to them: “(D)The kingdom of heaven is like [a]leaven, which a woman took and hid in (E)three [b]sata of flour until it was all leavened.”
Hidden Treasure
44 “(A)The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from [a]joy over it he goes and (B)sells everything that he has, and buys that field.
A Costly Pearl
45 “Again, (C)the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.
A Dragnet
47 “Again, (D)the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they pulled it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So it will be at (E)the [b]end of the age: the angels will come forth and remove the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and they (F)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place (G)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They *said to Him, “Yes.” 52 And [c]Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure new things and old.”
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