Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

God in the Thunderstorm

A song of David.

The Ark of the Covenant Is Carried into the Temple

² Then Solomon called for all the elders of Israel. He asked them to come to him in Jerusalem. He called for all the older leaders, the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the families. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord from the older part of the city. ³ All the men of Israel came together with King Solomon. This was during the festival that was held in the seventh month.

⁴ All the elders of Israel arrived. Then the Levites picked up the Ark of the Covenant. ⁵ The priests and the Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant. They also carried the Meeting Tent and the holy things in it. ⁶ King Solomon and all the Israelites met in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They sacrificed so many sheep and bulls no one could count them.

⁷ Then the priests put the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord in its place. This was inside the Most Holy Place in the Temple. They put it under the wings of the gold creatures. ⁸ The wings of the creatures were spread out over the place for the Ark of the Covenant. They covered it and its carrying poles. ⁹ The carrying poles were very long. Anyone standing in the Holy Place in front of the Most Holy Place could see the ends of the poles. But no one could see the poles from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. ¹⁰ The only things inside the Ark of the Covenant were two stone tablets.^[a] Moses had put them in the Ark of the Covenant at Mount Sinai. That was where the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

¹¹ Then all the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests from each group made themselves ready to serve the Lord. ¹² All the Levite musicians stood on the east side of the altar. They were Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and all their sons and relatives. They were dressed in white linen and played cymbals, lyres and harps. With them were 120 priests who blew trumpets. ¹³ Those who blew the trumpets and those who sang together sounded like one person. They praised and thanked the Lord. They sang as they played their trumpets, cymbals and other instruments. They praised the Lord with this song:

Then the Temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud. ¹⁴ The priests could not continue their work because of the cloud. This was because the Lord’s glory filled the Temple of God.

¹⁹ “King Agrippa, after I had this vision from heaven, I obeyed it. ²⁰ I began telling people that they should change their hearts and lives and turn to God. I told them to do things to show that they really had changed. I told this first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and in every part of Judea, and also to the non-Jewish people. ²¹ This is why the Jews took me and were trying to kill me in the Temple. ²² But God helped me and is still helping me today. With God’s help I am standing here today and telling all people what I have seen. But I am saying nothing new. I am saying what Moses and the prophets said would happen. ²³ They said that the Christ would die and be the first to rise from death. They said that the Christ would bring light to the Jewish and non-Jewish people.”

Paul Tries to Persuade Agrippa

²⁴ While Paul was saying these things to defend himself, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Too much study has driven you crazy!”

²⁵ Paul said, “Most Excellent Festus, I am not crazy. My words are true. They are not the words of a foolish man. ²⁶ King Agrippa knows about these things. I can speak freely to him. I know that he has heard about all of these things. They did not happen off in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets wrote? I know you believe!”

²⁸ King Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time?”

²⁹ Paul said, “Whether it is a short or a long time, I pray to God that not only you but every person listening to me today would be saved and be like me—except for these chains I have!”