Lectionary 16, Year C

¹ The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. ² He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, ³ and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant. ⁴ Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵ I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.” ⁶ Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” ⁷ Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. ⁸ He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate. ⁹ They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.” ¹⁰ He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.

¹ The LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? ² He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart; ³ he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man; ⁴ in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change; ⁵ he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. ¹⁹ For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. ²¹ You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, ²² yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, ²³ if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a servant. ²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly, ²⁵ of which I was made a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, ²⁷ to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;