Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Three Special Visitors
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham[a] by the oaks[b] of Mamre while[c] he was sitting at the entrance[d] to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 2 Abraham[e] looked up[f] and saw[g] three men standing across from[h] him. When he saw them[i] he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low[j] to the ground.[k]
3 He said, “My lord,[l] if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant.[m] 4 Let a little water be brought so that[n] you may all[o] wash your feet and rest under the tree. 5 And let me get[p] a bit of food[q] so that you may refresh yourselves[r] since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.”[s] “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take[t] three measures[u] of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”[v] 7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant,[w] who quickly prepared it.[x] 8 Abraham[y] then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food[z] before them. They ate while[aa] he was standing near them under a tree.
9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There,[ab] in the tent.” 10 One of them[ac] said, “I will surely return[ad] to you when the season comes round again,[ae] and your wife Sarah will have a son!”[af] (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him.[ag] 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years;[ah] Sarah had long since passed menopause.)[ai] 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking,[aj] “After I am worn out will I have pleasure,[ak] especially when my husband is old too?”[al]
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why[am] did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really[an] have a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything impossible[ao] for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”[ap] 15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”[aq]
The Birth of Isaac
21 The Lord visited[a] Sarah just as he had said he would and did[b] for Sarah what he had promised.[c] 2 So Sarah became pregnant[d] and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.[e] 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old,[f] Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do.[g] 5 (Now Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.)[h]
6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh.[i] Everyone who hears about this[j] will laugh[k] with me.” 7 She went on to say,[l] “Who would[m] have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”
12 How can I repay the Lord
for all his acts of kindness to me?
13 I will celebrate my deliverance,[a]
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
before all his people.
15 The Lord values
the lives of his faithful followers.[b]
16 Yes, Lord! I am indeed your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your female servant.[c]
You saved me from death.[d]
17 I will present a thank offering to you,
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
before all his people,
19 in the courts of the Lord’s temple,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
The Expectation of Justification
5 [a] Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have[b] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access[c] into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice[d] in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not[e] only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God[f] has been poured out[g] in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.)[h] 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Workers for the Harvest
35 Then Jesus went throughout all the towns[a] and villages, teaching in their synagogues,[b] preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.[c] 36 When[d] he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless,[e] like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest[f] to send out workers into his harvest-ready fields.”[g]
Sending Out the Twelve Apostles
10 Jesus[h] called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits[i] so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.[j] 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles:[k] first, Simon[l] (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew;[m] Thomas[n] and Matthew the tax collector;[o] James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[p] 4 Simon the Zealot[q] and Judas Iscariot,[r] who betrayed him.[s]
5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows:[t] “Do not go on a road that leads to Gentile regions[u] and do not enter any Samaritan town.[v] 6 Go[w] instead to the lost sheep[x] of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead,[y] cleanse lepers,[z] cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper[a] in your belts, 10 no bag[b] for the journey, or an extra tunic,[c] or sandals or staff,[d] for the worker deserves his provisions. 11 Whenever[e] you enter a town or village,[f] find out who is worthy there[g] and stay with them[h] until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet those within it.[i] 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.[j] 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off[k] your feet as you leave that house or that town. 15 I tell you the truth,[l] it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah[m] on the day of judgment than for that town!
Persecution of Disciples
16 “I[n] am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves,[o] so be wise as serpents[p] and innocent as doves.[q] 17 Beware[r] of people, because they will hand you over to councils[s] and flog[t] you in their synagogues.[u] 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings[v] because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 Whenever[w] they hand you over for trial,[x] do not worry about how to speak or what to say,[y] for what you should say will be given to you at that time.[z] 20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brother[aa] will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against[ab] parents and have them put to death. 22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved! 23 Whenever[ac] they persecute you in one town,[ad] flee to another! I tell you the truth,[ae] you will not finish going through all the towns[af] of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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