Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 8^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] A psalm of David.

¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill^(A) Moses, but Moses fled^(B) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,^(C) where he sat down by a well. ¹⁶ Now a priest of Midian^(D) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water^(E) and fill the troughs^(F) to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷ Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue^(G) and watered their flock.^(H)

¹⁸ When the girls returned to Reuel^(I) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

¹⁹ They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

²⁰ “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”^(J)

²¹ Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah^(K) to Moses in marriage. ²² Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,^[a](L) saying, “I have become a foreigner^(M) in a foreign land.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)(B)

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany^(C) in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](D) but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(E) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”