Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection

To the Chief Musician. On ^[a]a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

¹⁵ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is ^(A)no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take ^(B)a gift from your servant.”

¹⁶ But he said, ^(C)“As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, ^(D)I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

¹⁷ So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. ¹⁸ Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and ^(E)he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.”

¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

²⁴ Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, ^(A)you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

²⁵ But he said, “I am not ^[a]mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. ²⁶ For the king, before whom I also speak freely, ^(B)knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

²⁹ And Paul said, ^(C)“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”