Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
An Angel Sends Philip Down The Road To an Ethiopian Eunuch Reading Isaiah
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Arise and go toward the south[a] on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza”. This[b] is a wilderness [road]. 27 And having arisen, he proceeded. And behold— there was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch[c], a court-official of Candace[d] (queen of the Ethiopians), who was over all her treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and was returning, and sitting on his chariot[e]. And he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot”. 30 And having run up, Philip heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you indeed understand the things which you are reading?” 31 And the one said, “How indeed might I be able, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to sit with him, having come up.
Philip Explains That Isaiah 53 Refers To Jesus
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to slaughter. And as a lamb before the one having sheared it is silent, so He does not open His mouth. 33 In His humiliation, His justice[f] was taken-away. Who will describe[g] His generation[h]? Because His life is taken-away from the earth” [Isa 53:7-8]. 34 And having responded, the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom is the prophet saying this— about himself or about some other?” 35 And Philip— having opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture— announced Jesus as good news to him.
The Man Believes And Is Baptized, And Continues Home Rejoicing
36 And as they were proceeding along the road, they came upon some water. And the eunuch says, “Behold— water. What is preventing me from being baptized?” 37 [i] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop. And they both went down into[j] the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out-of [k] the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. And the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he was going his way rejoicing.
Philip Continues Announcing The Good News In Other Cities
40 And Philip was found at Azotus. And while going through, he was announcing-the-good-news-to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Be Loving One Another, Because The Love Is From God
7 Beloved, let us be loving one another. Because the love[a] is from God! And everyone loving has been born[b] from God, and knows God. 8 The one not loving did not know God, because God is love.
God Made His Love Known To Us By Sending His Son
9 By this God’s love was made-known among[c] us: that God has sent-forth His only-born[d] Son into the world in order that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love— not that we have loved God, but that He loved us, and sent-forth His Son to be the satisfaction[e] for our sins.
We Ought To Be Loving As He Loved Us
11 Beloved, if God loved us in-this-manner[f], we also ought to be loving one another.
Love Makes the Unseen God Visible In Us, Together With Our Confession of Christ
12 No one has ever seen God; if we are loving[g] one another, God is abiding in us, and His love[h] has been perfected[i] in us. 13 By this[j] we know that we are abiding in Him and He in us: because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen, and are testifying that the Father has sent-forth the Son to be Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God is abiding in him and he in God. 16 And we have come-to-know and have believed the love which God has in us.
Love Demonstrates Our Mutual Relationship With God, And Gives Us Confidence
God is love; and the one abiding in the love is abiding in God, and God is abiding in him. 17 By this[k], the love has been perfected with[l] us in order that we may have confidence on the day of judgment. Because just as that One is[m], we also are, in this world. 18 Fear[n] is not in love— rather, perfect love throws fear out, because fear has punishment. And the one fearing has not been perfected in love. 19 We are loving because[o] He first loved us.
Not Loving One Another As He Commanded Proves That We Do Not Love God
20 If someone claims that “I love God” and is hating his brother, he is a liar. For the one not loving his brother whom he has seen cannot be loving God Whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from Him: that the one loving God should be loving his brother also.
15 1 I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the farmer. 2 Every branch in Me not bearing fruit— He takes it away[a]. And every branch bearing fruit— He cleans[b] it in order that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean, because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide[c] in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it is abiding in the grapevine, so neither are you able unless you are abiding in Me. 5 I am the grapevine, you are the branches. The one abiding[d] in Me and I in him— this one bears much fruit. Because apart from Me, you can do nothing. 6 If anyone is not abiding in Me— he was thrown[e] outside like the branch, and was dried-up. And they gather them together, and throw them into the fire. And they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified— that you be bearing much fruit, and be[f] disciples to Me.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing