Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Greetings of Night Watchers.
A Song of [a]Ascents.
134 Behold, bless and praise the Lord, all servants of the Lord (priests, Levites),
Who stand and serve by night in the house of the Lord.(A)
2
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary
And bless the Lord.
3
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth.
Birth of Isaac Promised
18 Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the terebinth trees of Mamre [in Hebron], while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 When he raised his eyes and looked up, behold, three men were standing [a little distance] from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down [with his face] to the ground, 3 and Abraham said, “My [a]lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant [without stopping to visit]. 4 Please let a little water be brought [by one of my servants] and [you may] wash your feet, and recline and rest comfortably under the tree. 5 And I will bring a piece of bread to refresh and sustain [b]you; after that you may go on, since you have come to your servant.” And they replied, “Do as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, get ready three [c]measures of fine meal, knead it and bake cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd and brought a calf, tender and choice, and he gave it to the servant [to butcher], and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took [d]curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before the men; and he stood beside them under the tree while they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “I will surely return to you at this [e]time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.(A) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; she was past [the age of] childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself [when she heard the Lord’s words], saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being also old?”(B) 13 And the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh [to herself], saying, ‘Shall I really give birth [to a child] when I am so old?’ 14 Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the [f]Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son.”(C)
23 for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God. 24 For,
“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers
And the flower falls off,
25
But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word [the good news of salvation] which was preached to you.(A)
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