Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Peter Returns to Jerusalem

11 The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that non-Jewish people had accepted God’s teaching too. ² But when Peter came to Jerusalem, some Jewish believers argued with him. ³ They said, “You went into the homes of people who are not Jews and are not circumcised! You even ate with them!”

⁴ So Peter explained the whole story to them. ⁵ He said, “I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. In the vision, I saw something which looked like a big sheet coming down from heaven. It was being lowered to earth by its four corners. It came down very close to me, and ⁶ I looked inside it. I saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds. ⁷ I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unholy or unclean.’ ⁹ But the voice from heaven answered again, ‘God has made these things clean. Don’t call them unholy!’ ¹⁰ This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back to heaven. ¹¹ Right then three men came to the house where I was staying. They were sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² The Spirit told me to go with them without doubting. These six believers here also went with me. We went to the house of Cornelius. ¹³ He told us about the angel he saw standing in his house. The angel said to him, ‘Send some men to Joppa and invite Simon Peter to come. ¹⁴ He will speak to you. The things he will say will save you and all your family.’ ¹⁵ When I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he came on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the words of the Lord. He said, ‘John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!’ ¹⁷ God gave to them the same gift that he gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So could I stop the work of God? No!”

¹⁸ When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, “So God is allowing the non-Jewish people also to turn to him and live.”

The World Should Praise the Lord

The New Jerusalem

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared. Now there was no sea. ² And I saw the holy city coming down out of heaven from God. This holy city is the new Jerusalem.^[a] It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband. ³ I heard a loud voice from the throne. The voice said, “Now God’s home is with men. He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and will be their God.^{[b] 4} He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain. All the old ways are gone.”

⁵ The One who was sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.”

⁶ The One on the throne said to me: “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega,^[c] the Beginning and the End. I will give free water from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty.

³¹ When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man receives his glory. And God receives glory through him. ³² If God receives glory through him,^[a] then God will give glory to the Son through himself. And God will give him glory quickly.”

³³ Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. And what I told the Jews, I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come.

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. ³⁵ All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”