Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
9 That night Paul saw in a vision a man from Macedonia [C an area across the Aegean Sea in mainland Greece]. The man stood and ·begged [urged; encouraged], “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we [C the switch to first person plural (“we”) indicates that the author, Luke, joined them (see also 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:16)] immediately ·prepared [made plans; attempted] to leave for Macedonia, ·understanding [or convinced] that God had called us to ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] to those people.
Lydia Becomes a Christian
11 We ·left [embarked/put out to sea from] Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace [C a mountainous island in the north Aegean]. The next day we sailed to Neapolis [C city in Macedonia, the first city Paul visited on the continent of Europe]. 12 Then we went by land to Philippi, a Roman colony [C a town begun by Romans with Roman laws, customs, and privileges] and ·the leading city in that part [or one of the leading cities in that district; or a city in the first district] of Macedonia. We stayed there for several days.
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river where we ·thought [expected] we would find a special place for prayer [C Philippi evidently had no synagogue because of its small Jewish population]. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them. 14 One of the listeners was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira [C in western Asia Minor] ·whose job was selling [who was a dealer/merchant in] purple cloth [C the most expensive type of material]. She was a worshiper of God [C a God-fearing Gentile; 10:2], and the Lord opened her ·mind [L heart] to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 She and ·all the people in her house [her household] were baptized. Then she ·invited us to her home [L urged us], saying, “If you ·think I am truly [L have judged me to be] ·a believer in [or faithful to] the Lord, then come stay in my house.” And she ·persuaded us [urged us strongly] to stay with her.
Everyone Should Praise God
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
67 God, ·have mercy on [be gracious to] us and bless us
and ·show us your kindness [L make your face shine on us; Num. 6:24–26] ·
2 so the world will ·learn [know] your ways,
and all nations ·will learn that you can save [L your salvation/victory].
3 God, the people should ·praise [thank] you;
all people should ·praise [thank] you.
4 The ·nations [peoples] should be glad and sing
because you judge people fairly.
You ·guide [lead] all the ·nations [peoples] on earth. ·
5 God, the people should ·praise [thank] you;
all people should ·praise [thank] you.
6 The land has given its ·crops [bounty].
God, our God, blesses us.
7 God blesses us
so people all over the earth will fear him [Prov. 1:7].
10 And the angel carried me away ·by the Spirit [or in the spirit] to a very large and high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God ·Almighty [All-powerful] and the Lamb are the city’s temple [C a temple representing the presence of God is not needed because God’s presence is throughout the city]. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God ·is its [gives it] light, and the Lamb is the city’s lamp [Is. 60:19]. 24 By its light the ·people of the world [nations] will walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it [Is. 60:1–3]. 25 The city’s gates will never be shut on any day [Is. 60:11], because there is no night there. 26 The glory and the honor of the nations will be brought into it [C as gifts to God]. 27 Nothing ·unclean [impure; profane; common] and no one who does ·shameful [detestable; abominable] things or tells lies will ever go into it. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s ·book [scroll] of life [3:5] will enter the city.
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the ·water of life [or living water]. It was ·shining [bright; clear] like crystal and was flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the ·street [main street; square] of the city [Gen. 2:10; Ezek. 47:1–12]. The tree of life was on each side of the river [Gen. 2:9; C heaven is like Eden, only better]. It produces ·fruit twelve times a year, once each month [or twelve kinds of fruit, producing fruit each month]. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of all the nations. 3 ·Nothing that God judges guilty will be in that city [Nothing accursed will be there; or There will no longer be any curse; Gen. 3:16–19; Zech. 14:11]. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and God’s servants will ·worship [serve] him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads [C denoting ownership; 3:12; 7:3; contrast 13:16; Ex. 28:36–38]. 5 There will never be night again. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will ·rule as kings [reign] forever and ever.
23 Jesus answered, “If people love me, they will ·obey my teaching [L keep my word]. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not ·obey my teaching [L keep my words]. This ·teaching [word] that you hear is not really mine; it is from my Father, who sent me.
25 “I have told you all these things while I ·am [remain; abide] with you. 26 But the ·Helper [Counselor; Advocate; see 14:15] will teach you ·everything [all things] and will ·cause you to remember [remind you of] all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name.
27 “I leave you peace [C the Greek word for “peace” reflects the Hebrew shalom, a typical Hebrew farewell; but Jesus’ peace, in the sense of wholeness, is also a characteristic of the messianic kingdom]; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going, but I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you should ·be happy [rejoice] that I am going back to the Father, because he is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you will believe [13:19].
Jesus Heals a Man at a Pool
5 ·Later [L After these things] Jesus went [L up] to Jerusalem for a ·special feast [L feast/festival of the Jews]. 2 In Jerusalem there is a pool with five covered porches, which is called Bethesda[a] [C a pool of water north of the temple thought to have curative powers] in the Hebrew language [C referring to Aramaic, the native language of the Jews at the time]. This pool is near the Sheep Gate. 3 Many sick people were lying on the porches beside the pool. Some were blind, some were crippled, and some were paralyzed |, and they waited for the water to move. 4 ·Sometimes [At a certain time; From time to time] an angel of the Lord came down to the pool and stirred up the water. After the angel did this, the first person to go into the pool was healed from any sickness he had|[b]. 5 A man was lying there who had been ·sick [an invalid; disabled] for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw the man and knew that he had been ·sick [an invalid; disabled] for such a long time, Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be well?”
7 The ·sick man [invalid] answered [him], “Sir, there is no one to help me get into the pool when the water ·starts moving [is stirred up]. While I am coming to the water, someone else always ·gets in [goes down] before me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “·Stand up [T Rise]. Pick up your ·mat [bed; cot] and walk.” 9 And immediately the man ·was well [was healed; became whole]; he picked up his ·mat [bed; cot] and began to walk.
The day this happened was a Sabbath day.
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