Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁷ ¶ The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the rights of the LORD are true, they are all just.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them is thy slave warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back thy slave also from pride and arrogance; let them not have dominion over me; then I shall be perfect, and I shall be innocent of the great rebellion.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

¹³ ¶ And it came to pass another day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning unto the evening.

¹⁴ And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand before thee from morning unto evening?

¹⁵ And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God.

¹⁶ When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I declare unto them the statutes of God and his laws.

¹⁷ Then Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

¹⁸ Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

¹⁹ Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people before God that thou may submit the causes unto God.

²⁰ And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do.

²¹ Moreover thou shalt consider out of all the people men of virtue, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place princes over them, of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

²² And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

²³ If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

²⁴ So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

²⁵ And Moses chose men of virtue out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, princes over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens.

²⁶ And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

²⁷ And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went to his own land.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ And beholding the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

¹⁵ ¶ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

¹⁶ saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is manifest to all those that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷ But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them that from now on they speak to no man in this name.

¹⁸ And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ Then Peter and John answered and said unto them, Judge whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God.

²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way how they might punish them because of the people, for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

²² For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shown.

²³ ¶ And being let go, they went to their own company and reported all that the princes of the priests and the elders had said unto them.

²⁴ And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord, thou art the God, who hast made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them,

²⁵ who (in the Holy Spirit) by the mouth of thy servant David (our father) hast said, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?

²⁶ The kings of the earth were present, and the princes were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.

²⁷ For of a truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together (in this city),

²⁸ to do that which thy hand and thy counsel had determined beforehand must be done.

²⁹ And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy slaves that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

³⁰ that thou might stretch forth thine hand so that healings and signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy slave Jesus.

³¹ And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.