Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹³ Now it happened the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. ¹⁴ And Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, so he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me ^(A)to inquire of God. ¹⁶ When they have a ^(B)matter, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.” ¹⁷ And Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. ^18 (C)You will surely wear out, both yourself and ^[a]these people who are with you, for the ^[b]task is too heavy for you; ^(D)you cannot do it alone. ¹⁹ Now listen to my voice: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. ^[c]You be the people’s representative before God, and you ^(E)bring the matters to God; ^20 (F)then warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them ^(G)the way in which they shall go and the work they shall do. ²¹ But you shall ^[d]select ^(H)excellent men out of all the people, ^(I)those who fear God, men of truth, those who ^(J)hate greedy gain; and you shall place these men over them as leaders of thousands, ^[e]of hundreds, ^[f]of fifties, and ^[g]of tens. ²² And they will judge the people at all times. And it will be ^(K)that every major matter they will bring to you, but every minor matter they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and ^(L)they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to ^[h]endure, and all ^[i]these people also will go to ^[j]their place in peace.”

²⁴ So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵ And Moses chose ^(M)excellent men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, ^[k]of hundreds, ^[l]of fifties, and ^[m]of tens. ²⁶ And they judged the people at all times; ^(N)the difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every minor matter they themselves would judge. ²⁷ Then Moses ^[n](O)let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

Peter and John Threatened and Released

¹³ Now as they observed the ^(A)confidence of ^(B)Peter and John and comprehended that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were marveling, and ^(C)began to recognize them ^[a]as having been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. ¹⁵ But when they had ordered them to leave the ^[b](D)Sanhedrin, they began to confer with one another, ¹⁶ saying, “^(E)What should we do with these men? For the fact that a ^(F)noteworthy ^[c]sign has happened through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But lest it spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man ^(G)in this name.” ¹⁸ And when they had summoned them, they ^(H)commanded them not to speak or teach at all ^[d]in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But ^(I)Peter and John answered and said to them, “^(J)Whether it is right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, you be the judge; ²⁰ for ^(K)we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ And when they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) ^(L)on account of the people, because they were all ^(M)glorifying God for what had happened; ²² for the man was more than forty years old on whom this sign of healing had occurred.

²³ So when they were released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Master, it is You who ^(N)made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who ^(O)by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

²⁷ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy ^[h](S)Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both ^(T)Herod and ^(U)Pontius Pilate, along with ^(V)the ^[i]Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and ^(W)Your purpose predestined to occur. ²⁹ And ^[j]now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your slaves may ^(X)speak Your word with all ^(Y)confidence, ³⁰ while You extend Your hand to heal, and ^[k](Z)signs and wonders happen through the name of Your holy ^[l](AA)Servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed earnestly, the ^(AB)place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all ^(AC)filled with the Holy Spirit and began to ^(AD)speak the word of God with ^(AE)confidence.