Mark 9:14-32
[14]
And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around
them, and scribes arguing with them. [15] And immediately all the crowd,
when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted
him. [16] And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
[17] And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son
to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. [18] And whenever it
seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and
becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were
not able.” [19] And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long
am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
[20] And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him,
immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled
about, foaming at the mouth. [21] And Jesus asked his father, “How long
has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. [22] And
it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if
you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” [23] And Jesus
said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who
believes.” [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said,
“I believe; help my unbelief!” [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came
running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You
mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him
again.” [26] And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came
out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is
dead.” [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he
arose. [28] And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him
privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” [29] And he said to them,
“This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
[30]
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want
anyone to know, [31] for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them,
“The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and
they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will
rise.” [32] But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to
ask him.
1 Corinthians 16
[1]
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the
churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. [2] On the first day of
every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he
may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. [3] And
when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry
your gift to Jerusalem. [4] If it seems advisable that I should go also,
they will accompany me.
[5]
I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass
through Macedonia, [6] and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend
the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. [7]
For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some
time with you, if the Lord permits. [8] But I will stay in Ephesus until
Pentecost, [9] for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and
there are many adversaries.
[10]
When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is
doing the work of the Lord, as I am. [11] So let no one despise him.
Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am
expecting him with the brothers.
[12]
Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you
with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He
will come when he has opportunity.
[13] Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. [14] Let all that you do be done in love.
[15]
Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were
the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to
the service of the saints—[16] be subject to such as these, and to every
fellow worker and laborer. [17] I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas
and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence,
[18] for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to
such people.
[19]
The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together
with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.
[20] All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy
kiss.
[21]
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. [22] If anyone has no
love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! [23] The grace
of the Lord Jesus be with you. [24] My love be with you all in Christ
Jesus. Amen.
Psalm 94
[1] O LORD, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, shine forth!
[2] Rise up, O judge of the earth;
repay to the proud what they deserve!
[3] O LORD, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?
[4] They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
[5] They crush your people, O LORD,
and afflict your heritage.
[6] They kill the widow and the sojourner,
and murder the fatherless;
[7] and they say, “The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
[8] Understand, O dullest of the people!
Fools, when will you be wise?
[9] He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
[10] He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge—
[11] the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,
that they are but a breath.
[12] Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,
and whom you teach out of your law,
[13] to give him rest from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
[14] For the LORD will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;
[15] for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.
[16] Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?
[17] If the LORD had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
[18] When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.
[19] When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
[20] Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
those who frame injustice by statute?
[21] They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
[22] But the LORD has become my stronghold,
and my God the rock of my refuge.
[23] He will bring back on them their iniquity
and wipe them out for their wickedness;
the LORD our God will wipe them out.
Ruth 4
[1]
Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the
redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside,
friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. [2] And he
took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So
they sat down. [3] Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come
back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that
belonged to our relative Elimelech. [4] So I thought I would tell you of
it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the
presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it.
But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one
besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will
redeem it.” [5] Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand
of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in
order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” [6] Then
the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own
inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem
it.”
[7]
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming
and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal
and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in
Israel. [8] So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he
drew off his sandal. [9] Then Boaz said to the elders and all the
people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of
Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion
and to Mahlon. [10] Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have
bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his
inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his
brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this
day.” [11] Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said,
“We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your
house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.
May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, [12]
and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah,
because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young
woman.”
[13]
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and
the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. [14] Then the women
said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day
without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! [15] He
shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for
your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons,
has given birth to him.” [16] Then Naomi took the child and laid him on
her lap and became his nurse. [17] And the women of the neighborhood
gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him
Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
[18]
Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, [19]
Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, [20] Amminadab fathered
Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, [21] Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz
fathered Obed, [22] Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
