Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;(A)
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.(B)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;(C)
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.(D)
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;(E)
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.(F)
10 They are more desirable than gold—
than an abundance of pure gold;(G)
and sweeter than honey
dripping from a honeycomb.(H)
11 In addition, your servant is warned by them,
and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.(I)
12 Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.(J)
13 Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;(K)
do not let them rule me.(L)
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed from blatant rebellion.(M)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,(N)
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.(O)
13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”(A)
17 “What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. 18 “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.(B) 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do.(C) 21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit.(D) Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.(E) 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load,[a] and they will bear it with you.(F) 23 If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”[b]
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.
27 Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land.(G)
The Boldness of the Disciples
13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.(A) 14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.(B) 17 But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;(C) 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”(D)
21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.(E) 22 For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.
Prayer for Boldness
23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.(F) 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:[a]
Why do the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers assemble together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.[b](G)
27 “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,(H) 28 to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,(I) 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders(J) are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.(K)
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