Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

²² Paul stood in the middle of Mars Street and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. ²³ For as I passed by and saw how you worship your gods, I found an altar on which was written, to the unknown god. Him then, whom you worship without knowledge, I proclaim to you. ²⁴ God, who made the world and everything that is in it, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands. ²⁵ Neither is he worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives life and breath to all people everywhere. ²⁶ And he has made from one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, determining beforehand how long, and also the bounds of their habitation, ²⁷ desiring them to seek God, if they might feel after and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. ²⁸ For in him we live and move and have our being, as certain of your own poets have said. For we are also his offspring. ²⁹ Since, then, we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the godhead is as gold, silver, or stone, graven by the craft and imagination of man.

³⁰ And God overlooked the time of this ignorance. But now he bids all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world according to righteousness, by that man whom he has appointed. And he has offered faith to all peoples, after raising him from death.

¹³ Moreover, who is it that will harm you if you follow that which is good? ¹⁴ Notwithstanding, happy are you if you suffer for righteousness’ sake. Yea, and fear not, though men seem terrible to you, neither be troubled, ¹⁵ but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. 

Be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you – and that with meekness and fear, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that when they backbite you as evildoers, they may be ashamed, seeing they have falsely accused your good living in Christ.

¹⁷ It is better (if the will of God be so) that you suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, in order to bring us to God; and was killed as concerning the flesh, but was quickened to life in the Spirit. ¹⁹ In which Spirit he also went and preached to the spirits who were in prison, ²⁰ who were in time past disobedient, when the longsuffering of God abode exceeding patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, that is to say, eight souls, were saved by water. ²¹ This signifies the baptism that now saves us – not the removal of soil from the flesh, but in that a good conscience consents to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who is on the right hand of God, and has gone into heaven, angels, power, and might subdued to him.

¹⁵ If you love me, keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, so that he may be with you forever, ¹⁷ which is the Spirit of Truth – whom the world cannot receive, because the world neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him. For he dwells with you and shall be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless, but will come to you.

¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more. But you will see me. For I live, and you will live. ²⁰ That day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

²¹ He who has my commandments and keeps them, that is he who loves me. And he who loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will show my own self to him.