1 And the Lord xappeared to him by the oaks1 of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, ythree men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and zbowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord,2 if I have found favor in your sight, ado not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a bmorsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! cThree seahs3 of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a dcalf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, e“I will surely return to you about this time next year, and fSarah your wife shall have a son.” gAnd Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
10 The Lord said, e“I will surely return to you about this time next year, and fSarah your wife shall have a son.” gAnd Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 hNow Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah ilaughed to herself, saying, j“After I am worn out, and kmy lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 lIs anything too hard1 for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David.
1 wThe Lord is my light and my salvation;
xwhom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold1 of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me,
ymy heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet2 I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
zthat I may adwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to bgaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire3 in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his cshelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high dupon a rock.
6 And now my ehead shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with fshouts of joy;
gI will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 hHear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and ianswer me!
8 You have said, j“Seek1 my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”2
9 kHide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; lforsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
11 mTeach me your way, O Lord,
and nlead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 oGive me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for pfalse witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look3 upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
21 And you, nwho once were oalienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now preconciled qin his body of flesh by his death, rin order to present you sholy and blameless and tabove reproach before him, 23 uif indeed you continue in the faith, vstable and wsteadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation1 under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a xminister.
Paul’s Ministry to the Church
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am yfilling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his zbody, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the astewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the bmystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them cGod chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the driches of the glory of this emystery, which is Christ fin you, the ghope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone hmature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling iwith all his energy that he powerfully jworks within me.
Martha and Mary
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus1 entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But bMartha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, c“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but done thing is necessary.2 Mary has chosen the egood portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
