Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Praise the Lord for All He Has Done
1 Shout praises to the Lord!
With all my heart
I will thank the Lord
when his people meet.
2 The Lord has done
many wonderful things!
Everyone who is pleased
with God's marvelous deeds
will keep them in mind.
3 Everything the Lord does
is glorious and majestic,
and his power to bring justice
will never end.
4 The Lord God is famous
for his wonderful deeds,
and he is kind and merciful.
5 He gives food to his worshipers
and always keeps his agreement
with them.
6 He has shown his mighty power
to his people
and has given them the lands
of other nations.
7 God is always honest and fair,
and his laws can be trusted.
8 They are true and right
and will stand forever.
9 God rescued his people,
and he will never break
his agreement with them.
He is fearsome and holy.
The People Agree To Obey God
24 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on this mountain. Bring along Aaron, as well as his two sons Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of Israel's leaders. They must worship me at a distance, 2 but you are to come near. Don't let anyone else come up.”
3 Moses gave the Lord's instructions to the people, and they all promised, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded!” 4 Then Moses wrote down what the Lord had said.
The next morning Moses got up early. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up a large stone for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He also sent some young men to burn offerings and to sacrifice bulls as special offerings[a] to the Lord. 6 Moses put half of the blood from the animals into bowls and sprinkled the rest on the altar. 7 Then he read aloud the Lord's commands and promises, and the people shouted, “We will obey the Lord and do everything he has commanded!”
8 (A) Moses took the blood from the bowls and sprinkled it on the people. Next, he told them, “With this blood the Lord makes his agreement with you.”
9 Moses and Aaron, together with Nadab and Abihu and the 70 leaders, went up the mountain 10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something that looked like a pavement made out of sapphire,[b] and it was as bright as the sky.
11 Even though these leaders of Israel saw God, he did not punish them. So they ate and drank.
Paul's Plan To Visit Rome
22 (A) My work has always kept me from coming to see you. 23 Now there is nothing left for me to do in this part of the world, and for years I have wanted to visit you. 24 So I plan to stop off on my way to Spain. Then after a short, but refreshing, visit with you, I hope you will quickly send me on.
25-26 (B) I am now on my way to Jerusalem to deliver the money that the Lord's followers in Macedonia and Achaia collected for God's needy people. 27 (C) This is something they really wanted to do. But sharing their money with the Jews was also like paying back a debt, because the Jews had already shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles. 28 After I have safely delivered this money, I will visit you and then go on to Spain. 29 And when I do arrive in Rome, I know it will be with the full blessings of Christ.
30 My friends, by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that comes from the Holy Spirit, I beg you to pray sincerely with me and for me. 31 Pray that God will protect me from the unbelievers in Judea, and that his people in Jerusalem will be pleased with what I am doing. 32 Ask God to let me come to you and have a pleasant and refreshing visit. 33 I pray that God, who gives peace, will be with all of you. Amen.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.