Ruth 1-4
Naomi’s Family in Moab
1 In the days of the judges there was a famine in the land. And a man went from Bethlehem of Judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, and his wife and his sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. 4 They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
Naomi Returns to Judah with Ruth
6 Then she arose with her two daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord was watching over His people by giving them bread. 7 Therefore she and her two daughters-in-law left the place where she was and returned to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. May the Lord have mercy on you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “We will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why do you desire to go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, for I am too old to have a husband. For I say, if I married and should bear a son, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out from within me!” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and again wept. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people, but Ruth followed her.
15 And Naomi said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not ask me to leave you, or turn back from following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 And wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord cause this to happen to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” 18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she ended her conversation with her.
19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And the whole city shouted because of them, and said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has humbled me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabite woman returned with her, her daughter-in-law who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
Boaz Favors Ruth
1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabite woman said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean heads of grain after him in whose eyes I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, daughter.” 3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!” 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Let me glean and gather by handfuls after the reapers.’ So she came and continued from morning until evening, not stopping to rest in the field, not even a little.”
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Did you not hear, daughter? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that my men reap, and follow after them. Behold, I have commanded the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men draw.” 10 So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a stranger?”
11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done with your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know yesterday or the day before. 12 May the Lord repay your work, and may a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” 13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken to the heart of your maidservant. Behold, I will be like one of your bondswomen.” 14 Now Boaz said to her, “It is already time to eat. Come here and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So Ruth sat beside the reapers, and Boaz made a pile of grain for her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.
15 And she rose up to glean, and Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not bring shame upon her. 16 When you carry sheaves, carry them for her also; and when you throw them on the piles, throw them for her also; and let her gather from what has piled up, and do not rebuke her.” 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat with a rod what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So Ruth brought forth and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So Ruth told her mother-in-law where she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed is he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.” 21 Ruth said to her mother-in-law, “He also said to me, ‘Stay near by my young men until they finish all my reaping.’ ” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and thus people will not meet you in another field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of the barley and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
Boaz Pledges to Redeem Ruth
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “Daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, so that it will be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore, wash and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go up to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished drinking and eating. 4 Then, when he lies down, take notice of the place where he lies. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” 5 And Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And Boaz ate, and his heart was cheerful. He went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain, and she came softly and uncovered his feet. 8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled and disturbed; for there was a woman lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”
10 Then Boaz said, “Blessed are you of the Lord God, daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all you request, for the whole tribe of my people knows that you are a virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay here for the night. And in the morning, if he performs the duty of a kinsman for you, we will let him do it. But if he does not wish to perform the duty for you, then as the Lord lives, I will perform the duty for you. Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she rose before anyone could recognize another. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said to her, “Bring the apron that is around you.” And as she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 So when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all the man had done for her. 17 And she said to her, “He gave me these six ephahs of barley; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 Then she said, “Sit still, daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter today.”
Boaz Marries Ruth
1 Boaz went up to the gate and sat there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken was passing. So Boaz said to him, “Come aside, sir, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. 2 And Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
3 Then Boaz said to the relative, “As to the field which was our brother Elimelech’s, which was given to Naomi, now returning from the land of Moab; 4 I said I would inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I am here, I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of the deceased, you must take her as well, so as to raise up the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 Now, this was the legal custom in former times of Israel concerning redemption, and for a bargain, to confirm every word: A man took off his sandal and gave it to his neighbor who redeemed his right, and this was the testimony in Israel. 8 And the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy my right of redemption for yourself.” So he took off his sandal and gave it to him. 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, I bought for myself, to be my wife, Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of Mahlon, to raise up the name of the dead through his inheritance; so the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the tribe of his people. You are witnesses today.” 11 And all the people who were at the gate said, “We are witnesses.” And the elders said, “May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel and wrought mightily in Ephrathah. She will have a name in Bethlehem. 12 And out of the seed which the Lord will give you from this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not suffered a redeemer to fail you this day, even to make your name famous in Israel! 15 And he will be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse for him. 17 And the neighbors themselves gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi”; and they called his name Obed. This is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
Psalm 77:38–55
38 But He is merciful
And will atone for their sins, and not destroy them;
And He will multiply them, and turn away His anger;
And He will not kindle all His wrath.
39 For He remembered they are flesh,
A spirit that is passing and not returning.
40 How many times did they rebel against Him in the desert,
And provoke Him to wrath in the desert?
41 And they turned away and tempted God,
And provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember His hand
And the day He redeemed them from the hand of those afflicting them,
43 How He wrought His signs in Egypt,
And His wonders in the plains of Zoan,
44 And how He turned their rivers and rainfalls into blood,
So they could not drink;
45 He sent them the dog-fly, and it devoured them,
And the frog, and it destroyed them.
46 He gave their fruit to the mildew
And their labors to the locust;
47 He killed their vineyard with hail
And their mulberry trees with frost;
48 And He delivered their cattle to the hail
And their property to the fire;
49 He sent forth the wrath of His anger to them,
Anger and wrath and affliction,
Sent forth through evil angels;
50 He made a path for His wrath;
He did not spare their souls from death,
And their cattle He enclosed in death;
51 And He struck every firstborn in Egypt,
The firstfruit of their labor in the tents of Ham.
52 And He brought His people out like sheep,
And He led them like a flock in the desert;
53 And He guided them in hope, and they were not afraid;
And the sea covered up their enemies.
54 He brought them into the mountain of His holiness,
This mountain His right hand acquired;
55 And He cast out the nations from before their face,
And distributed them a measure of land as an inheritance;
And He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
Proverbs 16:16–20
16 Arrogance goes before destruction
And folly before a fall.
17 A gentle mind with humility is better
Than he who divides spoils with the arrogant.
18 A man wise in his deeds is a discoverer of good things,
But he who trusts in God is the most blessed.
19 Men call the wise and understanding worthless,
But those pleasing in speech will increase in understanding.
20 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who possess it,
But the instruction of those without discernment is evil.
Luke 7:1–17
1 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.
2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.
3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving,
5 “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”
6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.
7 “Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8 “For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.
Jesus Raises the Son of the Widow of Nain
11 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.
12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”
17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.