Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Abraham’s Three Visitors
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre(A) while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. 2 He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him.(B) When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, 3 and said, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.”
“Yes,” they replied, “do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures[a] of fine flour and make bread.”[b] 7 Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. 8 Then Abraham took curds[c] and milk, as well as the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served[d] them as they ate under the tree.
Sarah Laughs
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he answered.
10 The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (C) Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years.[e] Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.(D) 12 So she laughed to herself: “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?” (E)
13 But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord?(F) At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”
15 Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid.
But he replied, “No, you did laugh.”
The Birth of Isaac
21 The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.(A) 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.(B) 3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac.(C) 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.(D) 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.(E)
6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”[a](F) 7 She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him[b] in his old age.”
12 How can I repay the Lord
for all the good he has done for me?(A)
13 I will take the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.(B)
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.(C)
Faith Triumphs
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,(A) we have peace[a] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.(B) 2 We have also obtained access through him(C) by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand,(D) and we boast[c] in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that,(E) but we also boast in our afflictions,(F) because we know that affliction produces endurance,(G) 4 endurance produces proven character,(H) and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us,(I) because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts(J) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The Justified Are Reconciled
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time,(K) Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves(L) his own love for us(M) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Lord of the Harvest
35 Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,(A) and healing every[a] disease and every sickness.[b][c] 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected,(B) like sheep without a shepherd.(C) 37 Then he said to his disciples,(D) “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
Commissioning the Twelve
10 Summoning his twelve disciples,(E) he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every[d] disease and sickness.[e](F) 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles:(G) First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[f] 4 Simon the Zealot,[g] and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.(H)
5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan(I) town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep(J) of the house of Israel.(K) 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’(L) 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy,[h] drive out demons.(M) Freely you received, freely give.
9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.(A) 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker(B) is worthy of his food. 11 When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 Greet a household when you enter it,(C) 13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.(D) 14 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet(E) when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment(F) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.(G)
Persecutions Predicted
16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.(H) 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts[a] and flog you in their synagogues.(I) 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.(J) 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.(K) For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit(L) of your Father is speaking through you.(M)
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.(N) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.(O) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.(P) 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.(Q) For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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