Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Prayer for Help

5 Hear my words, O Lord. Think about my crying. ² Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God. For I pray to you. ³ In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my prayers before You and will look up.

⁴ You are not a God Who is pleased with what is bad. The sinful cannot be with You. ⁵ The proud cannot stand before You. You hate all who do wrong. ⁶ You destroy those who tell lies. The Lord hates liars and men who kill other people.

⁷ But as for me, by Your great loving-kindness, I will come into Your house. At Your holy house I will put my face to the ground before You in love and fear. ⁸ O Lord, lead me in what is right and good, because of the ones who hate me. Make Your way straight in front of me.

⁹ For in their talk there is no truth. Their hearts destroy. Their mouths are like an open grave. With their tongues, they say sweet-sounding words that are not true. ¹⁰ Hold them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own plans. Throw them out because of their many sins. For they have fought against You. ¹¹ But let all who put their trust in You be glad. Let them sing with joy forever. You make a covering for them, that all who love Your name may be glad in You. ¹² For You will make those happy who do what is right, O Lord. You will cover them all around with Your favor.

Nehemiah Prays for His People

1 These are the words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the king’s house in Susa, ² Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came. I asked them about the Jews who were still living and had gotten away from Babylon, and about Jerusalem. ³ They said to me, “The Jews who are left who have returned to the land from Babylon are in much trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

⁴ When I heard this, I sat down and cried and was filled with sorrow for days. I did not eat, and I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great God Who is honored with fear, Who keeps the agreement and loving-kindness for those who love Him and keep His Laws, ⁶ listen to me and let Your eyes be open. Hear the prayer of Your servant which I now pray to You day and night for the sons of Israel Your servants, telling the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You. I and my father’s house have sinned. ⁷ We have sinned in our actions against You. We have not kept the Laws which You gave to Your servant Moses. ⁸ Remember what You told Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are not faithful, I will make you go different places in other nations. ⁹ But if you return to Me and keep My Laws and obey them, I will gather you and bring you to the place where I have chosen for My name to be. I will do this even if you have been spread out to the farthest part of the heavens.’ ¹⁰ They are Your servants and Your people whom You have made free by Your great power and strong hand. ¹¹ O Lord, hear the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who are happy to fear Your name. Make Your servant do well today, and give him loving-pity in front of this man.”

Now I was the one who carried the cup for the king.

Peter and John Heal a Man at the Gate of the House of God

3 Peter and John were going to the house of God about three o’clock. It was the time for prayer. ² Each day a certain man was carried to the Beautiful Gate of the house of God. This man had never been able to walk. He was there begging for money from those who were going in. ³ He asked Peter and John for money when he saw them going in. ⁴ Peter and John looked at him. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ The man who could not walk looked at them. He thought he would get something from them. ⁶ Peter said, “I have no money, but what I have I will give you! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” ⁷ Peter took the man by the right hand and lifted him up. At once his feet and the bones in his legs became strong. ⁸ He jumped up on his feet and walked. Then he went into the house of God with them. He gave thanks to God as he walked.

⁹ All the people saw him walking and giving thanks to God. ¹⁰ They knew it was the man who had been sitting and begging at the Beautiful Gate. They were surprised he was walking.