Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
1 In the time that the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab (he and his wife and his two sons).
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion (Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah). And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.
3 Then, Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died. And she remained with her two sons, who took wives of the Moabites. One’s name was Orpah; and the name of the other was Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years.
4 And Mahlon and Chilion both died. So, the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.
5 Then, she arose with her daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab. For she had heard say in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people and given them bread.
6 So she left the place where she was (and her two daughters-in-law with her) and they went on their way, to return to the land of Judah.
7 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in law, “Go. Each of you return to your own mother’s house. The LORD show favor to you, as you have done with the dead, and with me.
8 “The LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you, in the house of her husband.” And when she kissed them, they lifted up their voices and wept.
9 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
10 But Naomi said, “Turn back my daughters. For what reason would you go with me? Are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
11 “Turn back my daughters. Go your way. For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ and if I had a husband this night (indeed, and if I had borne sons) would you wait for them until they were of age? Would you be deterred from the taking of husbands, for them?
12 “No, my daughters. For it grieves me greatly for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
13 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth stayed with her.
14 And Naomi said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.”
15 And Ruth answered, “Do not urge me to leave you, or to depart from you. For where you go, I will go. And where you dwell, I will dwell. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
16 Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death separates you and me.”
17 When she saw that she was steadfastly-minded to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
18 So they both went, until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, word spread throughout all the city. And they said, “Is not this Naomi?”
146 Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD during my life. As long as I have any being, I will sing to my God.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, for there is no help in him.
4 His breath departs. He returns to his earth. Then, his thoughts perish.
5 Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob for his help; whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made Heaven and Earth, the sea, and all that therein is. Who keeps his fidelity forever.
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives bread to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.
8 The LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up the crooked. The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD keeps the strangers. He relieves the fatherless and widow; but He overthrows the way of the wicked.
10 The LORD shall reign forever! O Zion, your God endures from generation to generation. Praise the LORD!
11 But Christ - being a High Priest of good things to come - came by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not made with hands - that is, not of this creation -
12 nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood), entering in once to the Holy Place and obtaining eternal redemption.
13 For if the sprinkling of the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who are unclean (as touching the purifying of the flesh),
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ - Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without fault to God - purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?
28 Then came one of the scribes who had heard them disputing together. And perceiving that he had answered them well, he asked him, “Which is the first Commandment of all?
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the Commandments is, ‘Hear, Israel, The Lord our God is the only Lord.
30 “‘You shall therefore love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first Commandment.
31 “And the second is similar; that is, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other Commandment greater than these.”
32 Then that scribe said to Him, “Well, Master, you have said the truth; that there is one God, and that there is none but He,
33 “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 Then when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask Him any question after that.
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