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 judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

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

¹¹ Moreover by them is Thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors? Cleanse Thou me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent of the great transgression.

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 on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

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

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

¹⁶ When they have a matter, they come unto me, and I judge between one and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷ And 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 who are 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 to Godward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God.

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

²¹ Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God — men of truth, hating covetousness — and place such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers 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 able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of 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 his way into his own land.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took note concerning 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 outside the council, they conferred among themselves,

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

¹⁷ But so that it spread no further among the people, let us strictly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.”

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

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said unto them, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye;

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 nothing for which they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which had been done.

²² For the man was over 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 chief priests and elders had said unto them.

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

²⁵ who by the mouth of Thy servant David hast said, ‘Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

²⁶ The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’

²⁷ For truly against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, had gathered together

²⁸ to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.

²⁹ And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto Thy servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word,

³⁰ by stretching forth Thine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus.”

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