Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹³ The next day Moses solved disagreements among the people, and the people stood around him from morning until night. ¹⁴ When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is all this you are doing for the people? Why are you the only one to solve disagreements? All the people are standing around you from morning until night!”

¹⁵ Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me for God’s help in solving their disagreements. ¹⁶ When people have a disagreement, they come to me, and I decide who is right. I tell them God’s laws and teachings.”

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “You are not doing this right. ¹⁸ You and the people who come to you will get too tired. This is too much work for you; you can’t do it by yourself. ¹⁹ Now listen to me, and I will give you some advice. I want God to be with you. You must speak to God for the people and tell him about their disagreements. ²⁰ Warn them about the laws and teachings, and teach them the right way to live and what they should do. ²¹ But choose some capable men from among the people—men who respect God, who can be trusted, and who will not change their decisions for money. Make these men officers over the people, to rule over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²² Let these officers solve the disagreements among the people all the time. They can bring the hard cases to you, but they can decide the simple cases themselves. That will make it easier for you, because they will share the work with you. ²³ If you do this as God commands you, then you will be able to do your job, and all the people will go home with their disagreements solved.”

²⁴ So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ He chose capable men from all the Israelites and made them leaders over the people; they were officers over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶ These officers solved disagreements among the people all the time. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but they decided the simple cases themselves.

²⁷ So Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro went back to his own home.

¹³ The leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak, and they understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ Because they saw the healed man standing there beside the two apostles, they could say nothing against them. ¹⁵ After the leaders ordered them to leave the meeting, they began to talk to each other. ¹⁶ They said, “What shall we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows they have done a great miracle, and we cannot say it is not true. ¹⁷ But to keep it from spreading among the people, we must warn them not to talk to people anymore using that name.”

¹⁸ So they called Peter and John in again and told them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, “You decide what God would want. Should we obey you or God? ²⁰ We cannot keep quiet. We must speak about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ The leaders warned the apostles again and let them go free. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had been done. ²² The man who received the miracle of healing was more than forty years old.

The Believers Pray

²³ After Peter and John left the meeting of leaders, they went to their own group and told them everything the leading priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When the believers heard this, they prayed to God together, “Lord, you are the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ By the Holy Spirit, through our father David your servant, you said:

²⁷ These things really happened when Herod, Pontius Pilate, and some Jews and non-Jews all came together against Jesus here in Jerusalem. Jesus is your holy servant, the One you made to be the Christ. ²⁸ These people made your plan happen because of your power and your will. ²⁹ And now, Lord, listen to their threats. Lord, help us, your servants, to speak your word without fear. ³⁰ Show us your power to heal. Give proofs and make miracles happen by the power of Jesus, your holy servant.”

³¹ After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke God’s word without fear.