Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

My Soul Thirsts for God

Psalm 42

Parashat Yitro

Jethro’s Advice

18 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how Adonai had brought Israel out of Egypt. (² Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken in Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away ³ with her two sons. One was named Gershom^[a] because he said, “I have been an outsider in a foreign land,” ⁴ and the name of the other was Eliezer because he said, “For my father’s God is my help^[b], and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)

⁵ So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. ⁶ He had told Moses, “I, Jethro your father-in-law, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons.” ⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, then bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, as well as all the travail that had come upon them along the way, and how Adonai delivered them.

⁹ Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Adonai had shown to Israel, since He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ Jethro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that Adonai is greater than all gods, since they had acted arrogantly against them.” ¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron also came along with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Thanksgiving and Prayers of Joy

³ I thank my God at every memory of you, ⁴ always praying with joy in every prayer of mine for you all, ⁵ because of your sharing in the Good News from the first day until now. ⁶ I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua. ⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart—for you all are partakers of grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Messiah Yeshua.

⁹ Now this I pray, that your love might overflow still more and more in knowledge and depth of discernment, ¹⁰ in order to approve what is excellent—so that in the Day of Messiah you may be sincere and blameless, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Yeshua the Messiah, to the glory and praise of God.

Even in Chains, Proclaiming Messiah

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the Good News. ¹³ And so my imprisonment in the cause of Messiah has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else. ¹⁴ Because of my imprisonment, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord to dare more than ever to speak the message fearlessly.