Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Peter in Joppa

³⁶ In the city of Joppa there was a follower named Tabitha. (Her Greek name, Dorcas, means “a deer.”) She was always doing good and helping the poor. ³⁷ While Peter was in Lydda, Tabitha became sick and died. Her body was washed and put in a room upstairs. ³⁸ The followers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda. (Lydda is near Joppa.) So they sent two men to Peter. They begged him, “Hurry, please come to us!” ³⁹ Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. All the widows stood around Peter, crying. They showed him the shirts and coats that Tabitha had made when she was still alive. ⁴⁰ Peter sent everyone out of the room. He kneeled and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, stand up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called the believers and the widows into the room. He showed them Tabitha; she was alive! ⁴² People everywhere in Joppa learned about this, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a man named Simon who was a leatherworker.

The Lord the Shepherd

A song of David.

The Great Crowd

⁹ Then I looked, and there was a great number of people. There were so many people that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and had palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They were shouting in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ The elders^[a] and the four living things were there. All the angels were standing around them and the throne. The angels bowed down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. ¹² They were saying, “Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!”

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people in white robes? Where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “You know who they are, sir.”

And the elder said, “These are the people who have come out of the great suffering. They have washed their robes^[b] with the blood of the Lamb. Now they are clean and white. ¹⁵ And they are before the throne of God. They worship God day and night in his temple. And the One who sits on the throne will protect them. ¹⁶ Those people will never be hungry again. They will never be thirsty again. The sun will not hurt them. No heat will burn them. ¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of water that give life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

²² The time came for the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. This was during the winter. ²³ Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon’s Porch. ²⁴ The Jews gathered around him and said, “How long will you make us wonder about you? If you are the Christ, then tell us plainly.”

Jesus Is the Son of God

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I told you already, but you did not believe. I do miracles in my Father’s name. Those miracles show who I am. ²⁶ But you don’t believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never die. And no person can steal them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can steal my sheep out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”