Naomi Widowed
1 In the days awhen the judges ruled there was ba famine in the land, and a man of cBethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were dEphrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that ethe Lord had visited his people and fgiven them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord gdeal kindly with you, as you have dealt with hthe dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find irest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb jthat they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that kthe hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to lher gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. mYour people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. nMay the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 oAnd when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
1 bPraise the Lord!
cPraise, O dservants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
2 eBlessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 fFrom the rising of the sun to its setting,
4 The Lord is ihigh above all nations,
and his jglory above the heavens!
5 kWho is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who llooks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He mraises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them nsit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He ogives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
bPraise the Lord!
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1 You then, wmy child, xbe strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and ywhat you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses zentrust to faithful men,1 awho will be able to teach others also. 3 bShare in suffering as ca good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier dgets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 eAn athlete is not fcrowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is gthe hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, hrisen from the dead, the ioffspring of David, jas preached in my gospel, 9 kfor which I am suffering, lbound with chains as a criminal. But mthe word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore nI endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain othe salvation that is in Christ Jesus with peternal glory. 11 The saying is qtrustworthy, for:
rIf we have died with him, we will also slive with him;
12 tif we endure, we will also reign with him;
uif we deny him, he also will deny us;
for xhe cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
14 Remind them of these things, and ycharge them before God2 znot to quarrel about words, awhich does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,3 a worker bwho has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers
11 jOn the way to Jerusalem khe was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers,1 lwho stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and mshow yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, npraising God with a loud voice; 16 and ohe fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was pa Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not qten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and rgive praise to God except this sforeigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; tyour faith has tmade you well.”2
