Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Gimel
17 (A)Deal bountifully with your servant,
(B)that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am (C)a sojourner on the earth;
(D)hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with (E)longing
for your rules[a] at all times.
21 You rebuke (F)the insolent, (G)accursed ones,
who (H)wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me (I)scorn and contempt,
(J)for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though (K)princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will (L)meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my (M)delight;
they are my (N)counselors.
Horses and Chariots of Fire
8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.
11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in (A)Dothan.” 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, (B)for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please (C)open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of (D)horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” (E)So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, (F)open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, (G)“My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive (H)with your sword and with your bow? (I)Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again (J)on raids into the land of Israel.
The Healing of Aeneas
32 Now (A)as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, (B)Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 (C)And all the residents of Lydda and (D)Sharon saw him, and (E)they turned to the Lord.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.