Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an (A)offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, (B)although the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also (C)provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.
Hannah’s Vow
8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not (D)better to you than ten sons?”
9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (E)the [a]tabernacle of the Lord. 10 (F)And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and [b]wept in anguish. 11 Then she (G)made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed (H)look on the affliction of Your maidservant and (I)remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (J)no razor shall come upon his head.”
12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”
15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have (K)poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a (L)wicked[c] woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
17 Then Eli answered and said, (M)“Go in peace, and (N)the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
18 And she said, (O)“Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman (P)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Samuel Is Born and Dedicated
19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah (Q)knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord (R)remembered her. 20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name [d]Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”
Hannah’s Prayer(A)
2 And Hannah (B)prayed and said:
(C)“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
(D)My [a]horn is exalted in the Lord.
[b]I smile at my enemies,
Because I (E)rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “No(F) one is holy like the Lord,
For there is (G)none besides You,
Nor is there any (H)rock like our God.
3 “Talk no more so very proudly;
(I)Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the Lord is the God of (J)knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed.
4 “The(K) bows of the mighty men are broken,
And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
And the hungry have ceased to hunger.
Even (L)the barren has borne seven,
And (M)she who has many children has become feeble.
6 “The(N) Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The Lord (O)makes poor and makes rich;
(P)He brings low and lifts up.
8 (Q)He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
(R)To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.
(S)“For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He has set the world upon them.
9 (T)He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the (U)wicked shall be silent in darkness.
Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified
11 And every priest stands (A)ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 (B)But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down (C)at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting (D)till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being [a]sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16 (A)“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, (B)“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is [a]remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hold Fast Your Confession
19 Therefore, brethren, having (A)boldness[a] to enter (B)the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and (C)living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us (D)draw near with a true heart (E)in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for (F)He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 (G)not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and (H)so much the more as you see (I)the Day approaching.
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(A)
13 Then (B)as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
2 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? (C)Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age(D)
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, (E)Peter, (F)James, (G)John, and (H)Andrew asked Him privately, 4 (I)“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: (J)“Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and (K)kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines [a]and troubles. (L)These are the beginnings of [b]sorrows.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.