Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Ruth’s Appeal to Boaz

3 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find rest for you, so that you will be taken care of? ² Now isn’t Boaz our relative?^(A) Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. ³ Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”

⁵ So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”^[a]

¹³ Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,^(A) has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. ¹⁷ The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Psalm 127

The Blessing of the Lord

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model^[a] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.^{(A) 25} He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.^{(B) 26} Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages,^(C) for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(D) 27} And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment^(E)— ²⁸ so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,^(F) will appear a second time,^(G) not to bear sin, but^[b] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.^(H)

Warning against the Scribes

³⁸ He^(A) also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes^(B) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,^{(C) 39} the best seats^(D) in the synagogues,^(E) and the places of honor^(F) at banquets.^{(G) 40} They devour^(H) widows’^(I) houses and say long prayers^(J) just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

The Widow’s Gift

⁴¹ Sitting^(K) across from the temple treasury,^(L) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich^(M) people were putting in large sums. ⁴² Then a poor^(N) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. ⁴³ Summoning his disciples,^(O) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,^(P) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.^{(Q) 44} For they all gave out of their surplus,^(R) but she out of her poverty^(S) has put in everything she had^(T) —all she had to live on.”^(U)