Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of God’s Majesty and Love

A praise of David.^[a]

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came^[a] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, saying, ² “Yahweh was very angry with your ancestors.^{[b] 3} You must say to them: ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Return to me,” declares^[c] Yahweh of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says Yahweh of hosts. ⁴ “Do not be like your ancestors,^[d] to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Return from your evil ways and your evil deeds!”’ But they did not hear^[e] and they did not pay attention^[f] to me,” declares^[g] Yahweh. ⁵ “Your ancestors,^[h] where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ However, did not my words and my regulations which I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors?^[i] And they repented and said, ‘Yahweh of hosts planned to do with us according to our ways, and according to our deeds so he has dealt with us.’”’”

Zechariah’s First Vision

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, saying, ⁸ I had a vision in the night,^[j] and look, a man riding on a red horse. And he was standing between the myrtle shrubs that were in the ravine, and behind him were red, reddish-brown, and white horses. ⁹ And I asked, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel who was talking with me said, “I will show you what these are.” ¹⁰ And the man standing between the myrtle shrubs answered and said, “These are those whom Yahweh has sent to patrol^[k] the earth.” ¹¹ And they answered the angel of Yahweh who was standing between the myrtle shrubs, and they said, “We have patrolled^[l] the earth, and look, all the earth is dwelling in peace.”^{[m] 12} The angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long^[n] will you have no compassion on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which you showed fury these seventy years?”^{[o] 13} With gracious^[p] and comforting words Yahweh answered the angel who was talking with me. ¹⁴ And the angel who was talking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “I am very jealous^[q] for Jerusalem and for Zion! ¹⁵ And I am extremely angry^[r] with the nations that are at ease, for while I was a little angry, they furthered disaster.”^{[s] 16} Therefore, thus says Yahweh: “I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My temple^[t] will be built in it,” declares^[u] Yahweh of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’ ¹⁷ Proclaim again, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “My cities shall again overflow from prosperity, and Yahweh will comfort Zion again, and he will choose Jerusalem again.”’”

Paul Questioned by the Military Tribune

²² Now they were listening to him until this word, and they raised their voices, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!” ²³ And while^[a] they were screaming and throwing off their^[b] cloaks and throwing dust into the air, ²⁴ the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks,^[c] saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way. ²⁵ But when they had stretched him out for the lash,^[d] Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it permitted for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” ²⁶ And when^[e] the centurion heard this,^[f] he went to the military tribune and^[g] reported it,^[h] saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen!” ²⁷ So the military tribune came and^[i] said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ And the military tribune replied, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I indeed was born a citizen.^{[j] 29} Then immediately those who were about to examine him kept away from him, and the military tribune also was afraid when he^[k] realized that he was a Roman citizen and that he had tied him up.^{[l] 30} But on the next day, because he^[m] wanted to know the true reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble, and he brought down Paul and^[n] had him^[o] stand before them.

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

23 And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.” ² So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And are you sitting there judging me according to the law, and acting contrary to the law do you order me to be struck?” ⁴ And those who stood nearby said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?” ⁵ And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”^[p]

⁶ Now when^[q] Paul realized that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brothers! I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!” ⁷ And when^[r] he said this, a dispute developed between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ⁹ And there was loud shouting, and some of the scribes from the party of the Pharisees stood up and^[s] contended sharply, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! But what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ And when^[t] the dispute became severe, the military tribune, fearing lest Paul be torn apart by them, ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from their midst, and bring him^[u] into the barracks.^{[v] 11} And the next night the Lord stood by him and^[w] said, “Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”