Thursday 25 June 2043

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children.She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.2Sarai said to Abram,“See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing.Please go in to my servant.It may be that I will obtain children by her.”Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.3Sarai, Abram’s wife,took Hagar the Egyptian,her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.4He went in to Hagar, and she conceived.When she saw that she had conceived,her mistress was despised in her eyes.5Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault.I gave my servant into your bosom,and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me.May the Lord judge between me and you.”

6But Abram said to Sarai,“Behold, your maid is in your hand.Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.”Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7The Lord’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness,by the fountain on the way to Shur.8He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from?Where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

9The Lord’s angel said to her,“Return to your mistress,and submit yourself under her hands.”10The Lord’s angel said to her,“I will greatly multiply your offspring,that they will not be counted for multitude.”11The Lord’s angel said to her,“Behold, you are with child,and will bear a son.You shall call his name Ishmael,because the Lord has heard your affliction.12He will be like a wild donkey among men.His hand will be against every man,and every man’s hand against him.He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”

· · · verses 13–14 are not read15Hagar bore a son for Abram.Abram called the name of his son,whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.16Abram was eighty-six years oldwhen Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

1Praise the Lord!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,for his loving kindness endures forever.2Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord,or fully declare all his praise?

3Blessed are those who keep justice.Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.4Remember me, Lord, with the favor that you show to your people.

4Visit me with your salvation,5that I may see the prosperity of your chosen,that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,that I may glory with your inheritance.

21“Not everyone who says to me,‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22Many will tell me in that day,‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name,in your name cast out demons,and in your name do many mighty works?’23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you.Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

24“Everyone thereforewho hears these words of mine and does them,I will liken him to a wise manwho built his house on the rock.25The rain came down,the floods came, and the winds blewand beat on that house;and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.26Everyone who hears these words of mineand doesn’t do them will be like a foolish manwho built his house on the sand.27The rain came down,the floods came, and the winds blewand beat on that house;and it fell—and its fall was great.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things,the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,29for he taught them with authority,and not like the scribes.