Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Let All the Earth Praise the Lord
148 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from heaven;
praise him in the highest places.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his armies!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.[a]
4 Praise him, you heaven of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he himself gave the command that they be created.
6 He set them in place to last forever and ever;
he gave the command and will not rescind it.
7 Praise the Lord, you from the earth,
you creatures of the sea
and all you depths,
8 fire, hail, snow, fog, and wind storm
that carry out his command,[b]
9 mountains and every hill,
fruit trees and cedars,
10 living creatures and livestock,
insects and flying birds,
11 earthly kings and all peoples,
nobles and all court officials of the earth,
12 young men and young women alike,
along with older people and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is lifted up;
his majesty transcends earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a source of strength[c] for his people,
an object of praise for all of his holy ones,
that is, for the people of Israel who are near him.
Hallelujah!
Jeremiah is Arrested
26 In the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, this message came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple and tell those from all the cities[a] of Judah who are coming to worship at the Lord’s Temple everything that I’ve commanded you to say to them. Don’t leave out a word! 3 Perhaps they’ll listen, and each of them will repent from his evil way. Then I’ll change my mind about the disaster I’m planning to bring on[b] them because of their evil deeds. 4 Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you don’t listen to me to follow my Law which I’ve set before you, 5 and listen to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I’ve sent to you over and over[c]—but you wouldn’t listen— 6 then I’ll make this house like Shiloh and make this city into a curse to all the nations of the earth.’”’”
Jeremiah Threatened with Death
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened as Jeremiah spoke these words at the Lord’s Temple. 8 As soon as Jeremiah finished saying everything that the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people, the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him, telling him as they did: “You must certainly die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord that this house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be without an inhabitant?” Then all the people gathered around Jeremiah at the Lord’s Temple.
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people: “The Lord has sent me to prophesy all the things you heard against this house and against this city. 13 Now, change your habits[a] and your deeds and obey the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he told you about. 14 Look, I’m in your hands, so do with me what you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you kill me, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its residents because the Lord really did send me to you to say all these things for you to hear.”
Stephen is Arrested
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But some men who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), as well as some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to debate with Stephen. 10 But they could neither refute the wisdom nor withstand the Spirit by which he kept speaking. 11 So they secretly got some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes. Then they rushed at Stephen,[a] grabbed him, and brought him before the Council.[b]
13 They had false witnesses stand up and say, “This man never stops saying things against this Holy Place and against the Law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth[c] will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 Then everyone who was seated in the Council[d] glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
51 “You stubborn people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53 You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you haven’t obeyed it!”
Stephen is Stoned to Death
54 While they were listening to these things, they became more and more furious and began to grind their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen,[a] filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 He said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 But they shouted out loud, stopped listening, and together they all rushed at him, 58 ran him outside of the city, and began to stone him to death. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they continued to stone Stephen, he kept praying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” After he had said this, he died.[b]
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