Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Paul is converted & confounds the Jews. Peter raises Tabitha.

9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But as he journeyed and came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. ⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁵ And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the prick. And he, both trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said to him, ⁶ Arise and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

⁷ The men who journeyed with him stood amazed, for they heard a voice, but saw no one. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes, but saw no one. Then they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For he is praying, ¹² and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him and putting his hands on him, so that he may receive his sight.

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who call on your name.

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, Go your way. For he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷ Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight and arose, and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food, and was comforted.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightaway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God.

¹¹ And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and around the living creatures and the elders. And I heard thousands of thousands ¹² saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing! ¹³ And all the creatures that are in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth and in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, honour, glory, and power be to him who sits upon the seat, and to the Lamb forevermore! ¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, Amen! And the 24 elders fell upon their faces and worshipped him who lives forevermore.

He appears to his disciples again by the Sea of Tiberias, and commands Peter earnestly to feed his sheep.

21 After that, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. And this is how he showed himself: ² there were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana (a town of Galilee), and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of the disciples. ³ Simon Peter said to them, I’m going fishing. They said to him, We also will go with you.

They went their way and entered into a boat straightaway, and that night they caught nothing. ⁴ But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. Nevertheless, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus said to them, Sirs, do you have any fish? They answered him, No. ⁶ And he said to them, Cast out the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.

They cast out, and then they were not able to draw the net in for the number of fishes.

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his mantle to him (for he had stripped down), and sprang into the sea.

⁸ The other disciples came by boat – for they were not far from land, but about a hundred yards – and they drew in the net with fishes. ⁹ As soon as they had come to land they saw hot coals, and fish laid on them, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have now caught. ¹¹ Simon Peter stepped forth and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty-three. And for all there were so many, yet the net was not torn.

¹² Jesus said to them, Come and eat. And none of the disciples ventured to ask him, Who are you? because they knew that it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus then came and took bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

¹⁴ And this is now the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was risen again from death.

¹⁵ When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?

He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶ He said to him again the second time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me?

He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, Simon, do you love me?

And Peter sorrowed because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Truly truly I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you are old, you will stretch forth your hands, and another will gird you and lead you where you do not wish.

¹⁹ He spoke this signifying by what death Peter would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, Follow me.