Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹³ And so it was, on the next day, that Moses ^(A)sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone ^[a]sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because ^(B)the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶ When they have ^(C)a ^[b]difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷ So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸ Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; ^(D)you are not able to perform it by yourself. ¹⁹ Listen now to my voice; I will give you ^[c]counsel, and God will be with you: Stand ^(E)before God for the people, so that you may ^(F)bring the difficulties to God. ²⁰ And you shall ^(G)teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and ^(H)the work they must do. ²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people ^(I)able men, such as ^(J)fear God, ^(K)men of truth, ^(L)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²² And let them judge the people at all times. ^(M)Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for ^(N)they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their ^(O)place in peace.”

²⁴ So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵ And ^(P)Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²⁶ So they judged the people at all times; the ^(Q)hard^[d] cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

²⁷ Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and ^(R)he went his way to his own land.

The Name of Jesus Forbidden

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, ^(A)and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed ^(B)standing with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, ^(C)“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a ^[a]notable miracle has been done through them is ^(D)evident^[b] to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

^18 (E)So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, ^(F)“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ^20 (G)For we cannot but speak the things which ^(H)we have seen and heard.” ²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, ^(I)because of the people, since they all ^(J)glorified God for ^(K)what had been done. ²² For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Prayer for Boldness^(L)

²³ And being let go, ^(M)they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, ^(N)You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who ^[c]by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

²⁷ “For ^(P)truly against ^(Q)Your holy Servant Jesus, ^(R)whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ^28 (S)to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^(T)that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^(U)and that signs and wonders may be done ^(V)through the name of ^(W)Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(X)the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(Y)and they spoke the word of God with boldness.