Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Declaration of Trust

Of David.^[a]

²⁷ As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us. When he has passed, you stand here a while,^[a] so that I can make known to you the word of God.”

Saul Is Anointed as King

10 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it over his head and kissed him and said, “Has not^[b] Yahweh anointed you as leader over his inheritance? ² As you go from with me today,^[c] you will find two men near the burial site of Rachel in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you, ‘The female donkeys that you went to search for have been found.’ Now look, your father is no longer concerned about^[d] the female donkeys and has begun worrying about you,^[e] saying, ‘What should I do about my son?’ ³ Then you will go on from there and further you will come to the oak of Tabor. There three men will meet you, who are going up to God at Bethel. One will be carrying three male kid goats, one will be carrying three loaves of bread, and one will be carrying a skin of wine. ⁴ They will ask how you are doing^[f] and will give you two loaves, which you will take from their hand. ⁵ After this, you will come to the Gibeah of God,^[g] where there are sentries^[h] of the Philistines. Just as you enter^[i] the town there, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, flute, and zither before them, and they will be prophesying. ⁶ Then the Spirit of Yahweh will rush upon you,^[j] and you will prophesy with them; and you will turn into a different person.^{[k] 7} When these signs come to you, do for yourself what your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. ⁸ Then you will go down before me to Gilgal. Look, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to make^[l] fellowship offerings. You must wait seven days until I come to you. Then I will let you know what you should do.”

Paul’s Ministry Recognized by the Jerusalem Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking along Titus also. ² Now I went up there because of a revelation and laid out to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential people, lest somehow I was running, or had run, in vain. ³ But not even Titus who was with me, although^[a] he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us, ⁵ to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you. ⁶ But from those who were influential^[b] (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not show partiality^[c])—for those who were influential added nothing to me. ⁷ But these, when they^[d] saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision ⁸ (for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. ¹⁰ They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.