Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the Director: With stringed instruments. A Davidic Psalm

Trust God under Adversity

A Crippled Man is Healed

3 One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o’clock prayer time.^{[a] 2} Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people^[b] would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple. ³ When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something.

⁴ Peter, along with John, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man^[c] watched them closely, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ However, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah^[d] from Nazareth, walk!”^{[e] 7} Then Peter^[f] took hold of his right hand and began to help him up. Immediately his feet and ankles became strong, ⁸ and he sprang to his feet, stood up, and began to walk. Then he went with them into the Temple, walking, jumping, and praising God.

⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

An Argument about Greatness

²⁴ Now an argument sprang up among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵ But he told them, “The kings of the unbelievers^[a] lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you should become like the youngest, and the one who leads should become like the one who serves. ²⁷ Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn’t it? But I’m among you as one who serves.

²⁸ “You are the ones who have always stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred a kingdom^[b] on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit down on thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.”