Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 78
Lessons from Israel’s Past
A Maskil of Asaph.(A)
1 My people, hear my instruction;
listen to what I say.(B)
2 I will declare wise sayings;
I will speak mysteries from the past(C)—
3 things we have heard and known
and that our fathers have passed down to us.(D)
4 We must not hide them from their children,
but must tell a future generation
the praises of the Lord,
His might, and the wonderful works
He has performed.(E)
5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and set up a law in Israel,
which He commanded our fathers
to teach to their children(F)
6 so that a future generation—
children yet to be born—might know.
They were to rise and tell their children(G)
7 so that they might put their confidence in God
and not forget God’s works,
but keep His commands.(H)
8 Then they would not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not loyal
and whose spirit was not faithful to God.(I)
17 But they continued to sin against Him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.(A)
18 They deliberately[a] tested God,
demanding the food they craved.(B)
19 They spoke against God, saying,
“Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?
20 Look! He struck the rock and water gushed out;
torrents overflowed.(C)
But can He also provide bread
or furnish meat for His people?”(D)
21 Therefore, the Lord heard and became furious;
then fire broke out against Jacob,
and anger flared up against Israel(E)
22 because they did not believe God
or rely on His salvation.(F)
23 He gave a command to the clouds above
and opened the doors of heaven.(G)
24 He rained manna for them to eat;
He gave them grain from heaven.(H)
25 People[b] ate the bread of angels.[c]
He sent them an abundant supply of food.(I)
26 He made the east wind blow in the skies
and drove the south wind by His might.(J)
27 He rained meat on them like dust,
and winged birds like the sand of the seas.
28 He made them fall in His camp,
all around His tent.[d][e](K)
29 They ate and were completely satisfied,
for He gave them what they craved.(L)
Giving the Firstfruits
26 “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance,(A) and you take possession of it and live in it, 2 you must take some of the first of all the land’s produce that you harvest from the land Yahweh your God is giving you and put it in a container. Then go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have His name dwell.(B) 3 When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, you must say to him, ‘Today I acknowledge to the Lord your[a] God that I have entered the land the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’
4 “Then the priest will take the container from your hand and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. 5 You are to respond by saying in the presence of the Lord your God:
My father was a wandering Aramean.(C) He went down to Egypt with a few people and lived there.(D) There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated and afflicted us, and forced us to do hard labor. 7 So we called out to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression.(E) 8 Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. 9 He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.(F) 10 I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that You, Lord, have given me.
You will then place the container before the Lord your God and bow down to Him. 11 You, the Levite, and the foreign resident among you will rejoice(G) in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household.
The Tenth in the Third Year
12 “When you have finished paying all the tenth of your produce in the third year,(H) the year of the tenth, you are to give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then you will say in the presence of the Lord your God:
I have taken the consecrated portion out of my house; I have also given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commands You gave me. I have not violated or forgotten Your commands. 14 I have not eaten any of it while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead.(I) I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done all You commanded me. 15 Look down from Your holy dwelling, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Forgiveness through the Messiah
37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction[a] and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”(A)
38 “Repent,”(B) Peter said to them, “and be baptized,(C) each of you, in the name(D) of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off,[b](E) as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt[c] generation!”(F)
A Generous and Growing Church
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,(G) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.(H)
43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.(I) 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.(J) 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.[d] 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude,(K) 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them[e] those who were being saved.(L)
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