Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Majesty and Condescension of God

Jacob’s Children

30 Now when Rachel saw that ^(A)she bore Jacob no children, Rachel ^(B)envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, ^(C)or else I die!”

² And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, ^(D)“Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

³ So she said, “Here is ^(E)my maid Bilhah; go in to her, ^(F)and she will bear a child on my knees, ^(G)that I also may ^[a]have children by her.” ⁴ Then she gave him Bilhah her maid ^(H)as wife, and Jacob went in to her. ⁵ And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶ Then Rachel said, “God has ^(I)judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name ^[b]Dan. ⁷ And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸ Then Rachel said, “With ^[c]great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name ^[d]Naphtali.

⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and ^(J)gave her to Jacob as wife. ¹⁰ And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹ Then Leah said, ^[e]“A troop comes!” So she called his name ^[f]Gad. ¹² And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³ Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters ^(K)will call me blessed.” So she called his name ^[g]Asher.

¹⁴ Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, ^(L)“Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

¹⁵ But she said to her, ^(M)“Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?”

And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

¹⁶ When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night.

¹⁷ And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸ Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name ^[h]Issachar. ¹⁹ Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. ²⁰ And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name ^[i]Zebulun. ²¹ Afterward she bore a ^(N)daughter, and called her name ^[j]Dinah.

²² Then God ^(O)remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and ^(P)opened her womb. ²³ And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away ^(Q)my reproach.” ²⁴ So she called his name ^[k]Joseph, and said, ^(R)“The Lord shall add to me another son.”

From Suffering to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that ^(A)the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For ^(B)the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For ^(C)the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of ^[a]corruption into the glorious ^(D)liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation ^(E)groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have ^(F)the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^(G)even we ourselves groan ^(H)within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the ^(I)redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but ^(J)hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For ^(K)we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but ^(L)the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[b]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now ^(M)He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints ^(N)according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those ^(O)who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom ^(P)He foreknew, ^(Q)He also predestined ^(R)to be conformed to the image of His Son, ^(S)that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also ^(T)called; whom He called, these He also ^(U)justified; and whom He justified, these He also ^(V)glorified.