Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
This is a song that David wrote for the music leader.
A prayer for help
12 Lord, please help me!
All the good people have gone away!
No kind or faithful people remain.
2 Everybody tells lies to one another.
When they say nice things,
they do it to deceive their friends.
3 Lord, please shut their mouths!
When they deceive people or they boast,
stop them doing that!
4 They say:
‘Nobody can tell us what to do!
We will say what we like to get what we want!’
5 But the Lord says:
‘Now I will do something!
I know the cruel things that wicked people do to poor people.
When weak people cry with pain, I hear them.
So I will make them safe,
as they want me to do for them.’
6 The Lord's promises are true.
We can trust them,
because they are pure.
They are as pure as silver
that people have put in a hot fire seven times.[a]
7 Yes Lord, you will take care of the poor people.
You will always keep each one of them safe
from all those evil people.
8 But if people praise evil things,
then wicked people will boast more and more.
12 You may think that you are on a good, straight road.
But in the end, that road may lead you to death.
13 Somebody may be upset, even when he is laughing.
After his joy has gone, he will still be sad.
14 If someone turns away from what is right,
he will receive the punishment that he deserves.
But good people will receive the good things that they deserve.
15 A silly person will believe anything.
But a careful person will think before he does anything.
16 A wise person is careful to keep away from trouble.
But a fool is careless and he thinks that he is always right.
17 A person who quickly becomes angry does silly things.
And people hate anyone with cruel ideas.
18 Silly people do foolish things, and they receive what they deserve.
But wise people receive honour for their knowledge.
19 Evil people will respect good people.
Wicked people will ask righteous people to be kind to them.
20 Even the neighbours of poor people do not like them.
But rich people have many friends.
21 It is a sin if you do not respect your neighbour.
But if you are kind to helpless people, God will bless you.
22 People who want to do evil things have lost their way.
But those who want to do good things show faithful love.
23 If you work hard, something good will come.
But if you only talk about it, you will become poor.
24 For wise people, their riches are like a crown of honour.
But fools only work to get foolish things.
25 Someone who speaks the truth in court may save a life.
But someone who always tells lies deceives everyone.
26 Someone who respects and obeys the Lord knows that he will be safe.
His family also will be in a safe place.
27 If you respect and obey the Lord,
that is like a spring of water that gives you life.
It will keep you safe from death's traps.
28 A king who rules many people will receive great honour.
But a ruler with only a few people will have nothing in the end.
29 A patient man shows that he understands what is right.
But someone who quickly becomes angry shows that he is foolish.
30 If you have peace in your mind, your body will be healthy.
But if you are jealous, it will eat away your body.
31 If you are cruel to poor people,
you are insulting God who created them.
But if you are kind to helpless people,
it shows that you respect God.
The priests put Peter and John in prison
4 Peter and John were still speaking to the crowd in the yard of the temple. Then some priests, the leader of the police in the temple and some Sadducees came to them. 2 They were angry because of the things that Peter and John were teaching the people there. They were teaching that Jesus had become alive again after his death. The Jewish leaders did not agree that dead people could become alive again. 3 So they took hold of Peter and John. They put them in prison, because by then it was evening time. They put them in the prison until the next day. 4 But many of the people who had heard Peter's message believed what he said. There were now about 5,000 men who believed in Jesus.
The Jewish leaders ask Peter and John questions
5 The next day, the Jewish rulers and other important Jews met together in Jerusalem. The teachers of God's Law met together with them. 6 They met with Annas who was the most important priest. Caiaphas, John and Alexander were also there. Other men from the family of the most important priest were with them too. 7 The Jewish leaders made Peter and John stand in front of them. They began to ask them questions. They said, ‘How did you cause that man's legs to become strong? Who gave you the power and the authority to do it?’
8 Then Peter became full with the Holy Spirit and he said to them, ‘All you men are rulers of the people and important Jews. 9 Today you are asking us questions about the good thing that we did for this man. Before that, he could not walk. You are asking us how we caused his legs to become strong. 10 Now I need to tell you and all the people of Israel what is true. Then you will know how this happened. This man is standing here in front of you and he is well. His legs are strong because of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and his authority. You fixed Jesus to a cross so that he died. But after that, God caused him to become alive again. 11 The Bible says this about him:[a]
“The builders refused to use a certain stone. They thought that it had no value.
But now that stone has become the most important stone at the corner of the building.” ’
12 Then Peter said, ‘Only Jesus can save people. There has never been another person in the world that could do this. God has not given any other man the authority to save us.’
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