Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Gentile Salvation Defended
11 The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message also. 2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who stressed circumcision[a] argued with him,(A) 3 saying, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them!”(B)
4 Peter began to explain to them in an orderly sequence, saying: 5 “I(C) was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. 6 When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 7 Then I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat!’
8 “‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing common or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!’ 9 But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call common.’
10 “Now this happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. 12 Then the Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house.(D) 13 He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send[b] to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 14 He will speak a message[c] to you that you and all your household(E) will be saved by.’
15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning.(F) 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’(G) 17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift that He also gave to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?”(H)
18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life[d] even to the Gentiles!”(I)
Psalm 148
Creation’s Praise of the Lord
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise Him in the heights.(A)
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
praise Him, all His hosts.(B)
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
praise Him, all you shining stars.(C)
4 Praise Him, highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.(D)
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
for He commanded, and they were created.(E)
6 He set them in position forever and ever;
He gave an order that will never pass away.(F)
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,(G)
8 lightning[a] and hail, snow and cloud,
powerful wind that executes His command,(H)
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,(I)
10 wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,(J)
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,(K)
12 young men as well as young women,
old and young together.(L)
13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
for His name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers heaven and earth.(M)
14 He has raised up a horn for His people,
resulting in praise to all His godly ones,
to the Israelites, the people close to Him.(N)
Hallelujah!
The New Creation
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed.(B) 2 I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(C) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.(D)
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:[a]
Look! God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,(E)
and God Himself will be with them
and be their God.[c]
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.(F)
Death will no longer exist;(G)
grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer,(H)
because the previous things[d] have passed away.(I)
5 Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words[e] are faithful and true.”(J) 6 And He said to me, “It is done!(K) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(L) the Beginning and the End.(M) I will give water as a gift to the thirsty(N) from the spring of life.(O)
The New Command
31 When(A) he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man(B) is glorified, and God is glorified(C) in Him.(D) 32 If God is glorified in Him,[a] God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him at once.
33 “Children, I am with you a little while longer.(E) You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’(F) so now I tell you.
34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love(G) for one another.”
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