Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use stringed instruments.)

An Evening Prayer

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man

3 The time of prayer^[a] was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. ² A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in.

³ The man saw Peter and John entering the temple, and he asked them for money. ⁴ But they looked straight at him and said, “Look up at us!”

⁵ The man stared at them and thought he was going to get something. ⁶ But Peter said, “I don't have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, get up and start walking.” ⁷ Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up.

At once the man's feet and ankles became strong, ⁸ and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. ⁹ Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. ¹⁰ They knew he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.

An Argument about Greatness

^24 (A) The apostles got into an argument about which one of them was the greatest. ^25 (B) So Jesus told them:

Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone's friends.^{[a] 26 (C)} But don't be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant. ^27 (D) Who do people think is the greatest, a person who is served or one who serves? Isn't it the one who is served? But I have been with you as a servant.

²⁸ You have stayed with me in all my troubles. ²⁹ So I will give you the right to rule as kings, just as my Father has given me the right to rule as a king. ^30 (E) You will eat and drink with me in my kingdom, and you will each sit on a throne to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.