◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary) / Psalm 146 (God opens the eyes of the blind); Isaiah 59:9-19 (The blindness of injustice); Acts 9:1-20 (Saul is baptized his sight restored) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 146

Psalm 146^[a]

146 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
²I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
³Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver.^[b]
⁴Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground.
On that day their plans die.^[c]
⁵How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful,^[d]
⁷vindicates the oppressed,^[e]
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned.
⁸The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up all who are bent over.^[f]
The Lord loves the godly.
⁹The Lord protects the resident foreigner.
He lifts up the fatherless and the widow,^[g]
but he opposes the wicked.^[h]
¹⁰The Lord rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come.^[i]
Praise the Lord!

Isaiah 59:9-19

Israel Confesses its Sin

⁹For this reason deliverance^[a] is far from us^[b]
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light,^[c] but see only darkness;^[d]
we wait for^[e] a bright light,^[f] but live^[g] in deep darkness.^[h]
¹⁰We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see;^[i]
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men.^[j]
¹¹We all growl like bears,
we coo mournfully like doves;
we wait for deliverance,^[k] but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.
¹²For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds,^[l]
and our sins testify against us;
indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;
we know our sins all too well.^[m]
¹³We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord;
we turned back from following our God.
We stir up^[n] oppression and rebellion;
we tell lies we concocted in our minds.^[o]
¹⁴Justice is driven back;
godliness^[p] stands far off.
Indeed,^[q] honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
¹⁵Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased,^[r]
for there is no justice.

The Lord Intervenes

¹⁶He sees there is no advocate;^[s]
he is shocked^[t] that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands;^[u]
his desire for justice drives him on.^[v]
¹⁷He wears his desire for justice^[w] like body armor,^[x]
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head.^[y]
He puts on the garments of vengeance^[z]
and wears zeal like a robe.
¹⁸He repays them for what they have done,
dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries
and punishing his enemies.^[aa]
He repays the coastlands.^[ab]
¹⁹In the west, people respect^[ac] the Lord’s reputation;^[ad]
in the east they recognize his splendor.^[ae]
For he comes like a rushing^[af] stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord.^[ag]

Footnotes

Isaiah 59:9 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
Isaiah 59:9 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
Isaiah 59:9 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
Isaiah 59:9 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
Isaiah 59:9 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
Isaiah 59:9 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
Isaiah 59:9 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
Isaiah 59:9 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
Isaiah 59:10 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
Isaiah 59:10 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
Isaiah 59:11 tn See the note at v. 9.
Isaiah 59:12 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
Isaiah 59:12 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
Isaiah 59:13 tn Heb “speaking.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Isaiah 59:13 tn Heb “conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
Isaiah 59:14 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
Isaiah 59:14 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
Isaiah 59:15 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
Isaiah 59:16 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
Isaiah 59:18 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
Isaiah 59:18 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
Isaiah 59:19 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read “see.”
Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).

Acts 9:1-20

The Conversion of Saul

9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats^[a] to murder^[b] the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest ²and requested letters from him to the synagogues^[c] in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way,^[d] either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners^[e] to Jerusalem.^[f] ³As he was going along, approaching^[g] Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed^[h] around him. ⁴He^[i] fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul,^[j] why are you persecuting me?”^[k] ⁵So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! ⁶But stand up^[l] and enter the city and you will be told^[m] what you must do.” ⁷(Now the men^[n] who were traveling with him stood there speechless,^[o] because they heard the voice but saw no one.)^[p] ⁸So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open,^[q] he could see nothing.^[r] Leading him by the hand, his companions^[s] brought him into Damascus. ⁹For^[t] three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything.^[u]

¹⁰Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The^[v] Lord^[w] said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am,^[x] Lord.” ¹¹Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’^[y] and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision^[z] a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.” ¹³But Ananias replied,^[aa] “Lord, I have heard from many people^[ab] about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison^[ac] all who call on your name!”^[ad] ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument^[ae] to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.^[af] ¹⁶For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”^[ag] ¹⁷So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed^[ah] his hands on Saul^[ai] and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here,^[aj] has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^[ak] ¹⁸Immediately^[al] something like scales^[am] fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He^[an] got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, his strength returned.

For several days^[ao] he was with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,^[ap] saying, “This man is the Son of God.”^[aq]

Footnotes

Acts 9:1 tn Or “Saul, making dire threats.”
Acts 9:1 tn The expression “breathing out threats and murder” is an idiomatic expression for “making threats to murder” (see L&N 33.293). Although the two terms “threats” and “murder” are syntactically coordinate, the second is semantically subordinate to the first. In other words, the content of the threats is to murder the disciples.
Acts 9:2 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
Acts 9:2 sn The expression “the way” in ancient religious literature refers at times to “the whole way of life fr. a moral and spiritual viewpoint” (BDAG 692 s.v. ὁδός 3.c), and it has been so used of Christianity and its teachings in the book of Acts (see also 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It is a variation of Judaism’s idea of two ways, the true and the false, where “the Way” is the true one (1 En. 91:18; 2 En. 30:15).
Acts 9:2 tn Grk “bring them bound”; the translation “bring someone as prisoner” for δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά (dedemenon agein tina) is given by BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b.
Acts 9:2 sn From Damascus to Jerusalem was a six-day journey. Christianity had now expanded into Syria.
Acts 9:3 tn Grk “As he was going along, it happened that when he was approaching.” The phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
Acts 9:3 tn Or “shone” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαστράπτω). The light was more brilliant than the sun according to Acts 26:13.
Acts 9:4 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
Acts 9:4 tn The double vocative suggests emotion.
Acts 9:4 sn Persecuting me. To persecute the church is to persecute Jesus.
Acts 9:6 tn Or “But arise.”
Acts 9:6 tn Literally a passive construction, “it will be told to you.” This has been converted to another form of passive construction in the translation.
Acts 9:7 tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which is used only rarely in a generic sense of both men and women. In the historical setting here, Paul’s traveling companions were almost certainly all males.
Acts 9:7 tn That is, unable to speak because of fear or amazement. See BDAG 335 s.v. ἐνεός.
Acts 9:7 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Acts 22:9 appears to indicate that they saw the light but did not hear a voice. They were “witnesses” that something happened.
Acts 9:8 tn Grk “his eyes being open,” a genitive absolute construction that has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
Acts 9:8 sn He could see nothing. This sign of blindness, which was temporary until v. 18, is like the sign of muteness experienced by Zechariah in Luke 1. It allowed some time for Saul (Paul) to reflect on what had happened without distractions.
Acts 9:8 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Saul’s companions) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 9:9 tn Grk “And for.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 9:9 tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader. The fasting might indicate an initial realization of Luke 5:33-39. Fasting was usually accompanied by reflective thought.
Acts 9:10 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 9:10 sn The Lord is directing all the events leading to the expansion of the gospel as he works on both sides of the meeting between Paul and Ananias. “The Lord” here refers to Jesus (see v. 17).
Acts 9:10 tn Grk “behold, I,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).
Acts 9:11 sn The noting of the detail of the locale, ironically called ‘Straight’ Street, shows how directive and specific the Lord was.
Acts 9:12 tc ‡ The words ἐν ὀράματι (en oramati, “in a vision”) are not found in some of the earliest and best mss (P⁷⁴ א A 81 lat sa bo), but are implied from the context. The phrase is included, although sometimes in a different order with ἄνδρα (andra, “man”) or omitting ἄνδρα altogether, by B C E Ψ 33 1175 1739 M. The order of words in NA²⁸, ἄνδρα ἐν ὁράματι, is supported only by B C 1175. Generally speaking, when there are three or more variants, with one an omission and the others involving rearrangements, the longer readings are later scribal additions. Further, the reading looks like a clarifying note, for an earlier vision is explicitly mentioned in v. 10. On the other hand, it is possible that some scribes deleted the words because of perceived repetition, though this is unlikely since it is a different vision two verses back. It is also possible that some scribes could have confused ὁράματι with ὀνόματι (onomati, “name”); TCGNT 319 notes that several mss place ονόματι before ᾿Ανανίαν (Ananian, “Ananias”) while a few others drop ὀνόματι altogether. The Sahidic mss are among those that drop the word, however, and they also lack ἐν ὁράματι; all that is left is one version and father that drops ὀνόματι. Perhaps the best argument for the authenticity of the phrase is that B C 1175 preserve a rare, distinctively Lukan word order, but this is not nearly as harsh or unusual as what Luke does elsewhere. A decision is difficult in this case, but on balance the omission of the phrase seems to be authentic. The words are nevertheless added in the translation because of contextual considerations. NA²⁸ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity. sn Apparently while in Damascus Paul had a subsequent vision in the midst of his blindness, fulfilling the prediction in 9:6.
Acts 9:13 sn Ananias replied. Past events might have suggested to Ananias that this was not good counsel, but like Peter in Acts 10, Ananias’ intuitions were wrong.
Acts 9:13 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
Acts 9:14 tn Grk “to bind.”
Acts 9:14 sn The expression “those who call on your name” is a frequent description of believers (Acts 2:21; 1 Cor 1:2; Rom 10:13).
Acts 9:15 tn Or “tool.”
Acts 9:15 tn Grk “the sons of Israel.” In Acts, Paul is a minister to all nations, including Israel (Rom 1:16-17).
Acts 9:16 tn Or “because of my name.” BDAG 1031 s.v. ὑπέρ 2 lists Acts 9:16 as an example of ὑπέρ (huper) used to indicate “the moving cause or reason, because of, for the sake of, for.”
Acts 9:17 tn Grk “and placing his hands on Saul, he said.” The participle ἐπιθείς (epitheis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the same reason καί (kai) has not been translated before the participle.
Acts 9:17 tn Grk “on him”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 9:17 tn Grk “on the road in which you came,” but the relative clause makes for awkward English style, so it was translated as a temporal clause (“as you came here”).
Acts 9:17 sn Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Here someone who is not an apostle (Ananias) commissions another person with the Spirit.
Acts 9:18 tn Grk “And immediately.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 9:18 tn The comparison to “scales” suggests a crusty covering which peeled away (cf. BDAG 592 s.v. λεπίς 2).
Acts 9:18 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence was started, with “and” placed before the final element of the previous clause as required by English style.
Acts 9:19 tn Grk “It happened that for several days.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
Acts 9:20 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
Acts 9:20 tn The ὅτι (hoti) is understood to introduce direct (“This man is the Son of God”) rather than indirect discourse (“that this man is the Son of God”) because the pronoun οὗτος (houtos) combined with the present tense verb ἐστιν (estin) suggests the contents of what was proclaimed are a direct (albeit summarized) quotation.sn This is the only use of the title Son of God in Acts. The book prefers to allow a variety of descriptions to present Jesus.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 146[a]

Footnotes

Israel Confesses its Sin

The Lord Intervenes

Footnotes

The Conversion of Saul

Footnotes

Psalm 146^[a]