Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 “Listen, O My people, and I will speak. O Israel, I will speak against you. I am God, your God. 8 I do not speak sharp words to you for your gifts given on an altar. And your burnt gifts are always before Me. 9 I will not take a young bull out of your house, or male goats out of your fields. 10 For every animal among the trees is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird of the mountains. And all things that move in the field are Mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you. For the world is Mine, and all that is in it. 13 Should I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of male goats? 14 Give a gift of thanks on the altar to God. And pay your promises to the Most High. 15 Call on Me in the day of trouble. I will take you out of trouble, and you will honor Me.”
40 Let us test and look over our ways, and return to the Lord. 41 Let us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven, saying, 42 “We have sinned and would not obey You, and You have not forgiven us. 43 You have covered Yourself with anger and have followed us, killing without pity. 44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through. 45 You have made us a waste and something that is not wanted among the nations. 46 All those who hate us have spoken against us. 47 Fear and a trap have come upon us. We are laid waste and destroyed. 48 My eyes flow with rivers of tears because my people are destroyed. 49 Tears flow from my eyes all the time without stopping, 50 until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees. 51 My eyes bring me suffering because of what is happening to all the women of my city. 52 I have been hunted like a bird by those who hate me for no reason. 53 They threw me alive into the deep hole and have put a stone on me. 54 Water flowed over my head, and I said, “I am cut off!” 55 I called on Your name, O Lord, out of the deep hole. 56 You have heard my voice. Do not close Your ears to my cry for help. 57 You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not be afraid!” 58 You have helped me in my cause, O Lord. You have saved my life.
The Powerful Work of Paul
28 After we were safe on the island, we knew that it was Malta. 2 The people on the island were very kind to us. It was raining and cold. They made a fire so we could get warm. 3 Paul had gathered some wood. As he laid it on the fire, a snake came out because of the heat. It held fast to Paul’s hand. 4 When the people of the island saw the snake holding to his hand, they said to each other, “This man is a killer. He was saved from the sea and yet it is not right for him to live.” 5 Paul shook off the snake into the fire. He was not hurt in any way. 6 The people waited. They thought his hand would get large and he would fall over dead. After watching for a long time, they saw nothing happen to him. Then they changed their minds and said that Paul was a god.
The Father of Publius Is Healed
7 Publius was the head man of the island. He owned land around there. For three days he took us in and gave us everything we needed. 8 The father of Publius was sick with a stomach sickness. Paul went to see him. He prayed and laid his hands on him and the man was healed. 9 Because of this, other people of the island who were sick came to Paul and were healed. 10 They had great respect for us. When we got into a ship to leave, they gave us everything we needed.
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