Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

⁵ “If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, the widow of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall be intimate with her after taking her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶ It shall be that her firstborn [son] will ^[a]be given the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out of Israel. ⁷ But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s [widowed] wife, then she shall go up to the gate [of the city, where court is held] to the elders, and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to continue his brother’s name in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother.’ ⁸ Then the elders of his city will summon him and speak to him. And if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not want to marry her,’ ⁹ then his brother’s widow shall approach him in the presence of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, ‘So it is done to that man who does not build up his brother’s household.’ ¹⁰ In Israel his [family] name shall be, ‘The house of him whose sandal was removed.’

²² They listened to Paul until [he made] this [last] statement, but now they raised their voices and shouted, “Away with such a man from the earth! He is not fit to live!” ²³ And as they were shouting and throwing off their coats [getting ready to stone Paul] and tossing dust into the air [expressing their anger], ²⁴ the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he was to be ^[a]interrogated with a whip in order to learn why the people were shouting against him that way. ²⁵ But when they had stretched him out ^[b]with the leather straps [in preparation for the whip], Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned [without a trial]?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a ^[c]Roman!” ²⁷ So the commander came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The commander replied, “I ^[d]purchased this citizenship [of mine] for a large sum of money [so how did you acquire yours?].” Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” ²⁹ So those who were about to interrogate him by torture immediately let him go; and the commander was also afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman and he had put him in chains.

³⁰ But on the next day, wanting to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) to assemble; and brought Paul down and presented him before them.

Paul before the Council

23 Then Paul, looking intently at the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), said, “Kinsmen, I have lived my life before God with a perfectly good conscience until this very day.” ² [At this] the high priest ^[e]Ananias ordered those who stood beside him to strike Paul on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you ^[f]whitewashed wall! Do you actually sit to judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” ⁴ But those who stood near Paul said, “Are you insulting the high priest of God?” ⁵ Paul said, “I was not aware, brothers, that he was ^[g]high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”^(A)

⁶ But recognizing that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began affirming loudly in the Council chamber, “Kinsmen, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷ When he said this, an angry dispute erupted between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the [whole crowded] assembly was divided [into two factions]. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no [such thing as a] resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees [speak out freely and] acknowledge [their belief in] them all. ⁹ Then a great uproar occurred, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and began to argue heatedly [in Paul’s favor], saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has [really] spoken to him?” ¹⁰ And as the dissension became even greater, the commander, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered the troops to go down and forcibly take him from them, and bring him to the barracks.

¹¹ On the following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Be brave; for as you have solemnly and faithfully witnessed about Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”