Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with[a] Jesus standing at the right hand of God,(A) and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”(B)
57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone(C) him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.(D) 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”(E) 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,(F) “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell asleep.(G)
Psalm 31
A Plea for Protection
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
Save me by Your righteousness.
2 Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.(B)
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;(C)
You lead and guide me
because of Your name.(D)
4 You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for You are my refuge.(E)
5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;(F)
You redeem[a] me, Lord, God of truth.(G)
2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk,(A) so that you may grow by it for your salvation,[a] 3 since you have tasted(B) that the Lord is good.(C)[b] 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God(D) through Jesus Christ. 6 For it is contained in Scripture:
Look! I lay a stone in Zion,(E)
a chosen and honored[c] cornerstone,[d](F)
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame[f]
7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,
8 and
They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined(J) for this.
9 But you are a chosen race,[k](K)[l] a royal priesthood,(L)[m]
a holy nation,(M)[n] a people for His possession,(N)[o]
so that you may proclaim the praises[p](O)[q]
of the One who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light.(P)
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
you had not received mercy,(Q)
but now you have received mercy.
The Way to the Father
14 “Your heart must not be troubled.(A) Believe[a] in God;(B) believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places;[b] if not, I would have told you. I am going away(C) to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back(D) and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.(E) 4 You know the way to where I am going.”[c](F)
5 “Lord,” Thomas(G) said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am(H) the way,(I) the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus Reveals the Father
7 “If you know Me, you will also know[d] My Father.(J) From now on you do know Him(K) and have seen Him.”
8 “Lord,” said Philip,(L) “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.(M) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?(N) The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own.(O) The Father who lives in Me does His works.(P) 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe[e] because of the works themselves.(Q)
Praying in Jesus’ Name
12 “I assure you: The one who believes in Me(R) will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these,(S) because I am going to the Father.(T) 13 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified(U) in the Son.(V) 14 If you ask Me[f] anything in My name,(W) I will do it.[g](X)
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