Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God in the Thunderstorm
A psalm of David.
29 ·Praise [T Ascribe to] the Lord, you ·angels [L sons of God; C God’s council];
·Praise the Lord’s [T Ascribe to the Lord] glory and power.
2 ·Praise the Lord for [T Ascribe to the Lord] the glory of his name;
worship the Lord ·because he is holy [L in the splendor of his holiness].
3 The Lord’s voice [C thunder] is heard over the ·sea [L waters; C a symbol of chaos].
The glorious God thunders;
the Lord thunders over the ·ocean [L many/mighty waters].
4 The Lord’s voice is powerful;
the Lord’s voice is ·majestic [splendid; awesome].
5 The Lord’s voice breaks the ·trees [L cedars];
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon [C the most famous cedar forests].
6 He makes the land of Lebanon dance like a calf
and ·Mount Hermon [L Sirion] jump like a baby bull.
7 The Lord’s voice ·makes the lightning flash [strikes with flashes of lightning].
8 The Lord’s voice shakes the ·desert [wilderness];
the Lord shakes the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Kadesh.
9 The Lord’s voice ·shakes the oaks [or makes the deer give birth]
and strips the ·leaves off the trees [L forests bare].
In his Temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord ·controls [L is enthroned over] the flood [C controls chaos].
The Lord ·will be [L is enthroned as] King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
10 The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “·Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am [L Speak, for your servant is] listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something in Israel that will ·shock [L make the ears ring/tingle of] those who hear about it. 12 ·At that time [L In that day] I will ·do to [carry out against] Eli and his ·family [L house] everything I ·promised [threatened; spoke], from beginning to end. 13 I told Eli I would ·punish [judge] his ·family always [L house forever], because ·he knew his sons were evil [of the sin/iniquity he knew of]. They ·cursed God[a] [blasphemed], but he did not ·stop [correct; discipline; rebuke] them. 14 So I swore to Eli’s ·family [L house], ‘Your ·guilt [sins; iniquity] will never be ·removed [forgiven; atoned for; expiated] by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the ·house [temple] of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision, 16 but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!”
Samuel answered, “I am here.”
17 Eli asked, “·What did the Lord say [What word/message did he speak/give] to you? Don’t hide it from me. May God ·punish you terribly [L do so to you, and more also,] if you hide from me anything he said to you.” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything and did not hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He [or It] is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks ·is best [good].”
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up; he did not let any of Samuel’s ·messages [words] ·fail to come true [L fall to the ground]. 20 Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba [C from the extreme north to the extreme south], knew Samuel was ·a true [confirmed/attested as a] prophet of the Lord [Deut. 13:1–5; 18:14–22]. 21 And the Lord continued to ·show himself [appear; manifest himself] at Shiloh [1:3], and he ·showed [revealed] himself to Samuel through his word.
4 So, ·news about Samuel [or Samuel’s words] spread through all of Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark of the Agreement
At that time the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines [C a rival nation occupying the southwest coast of Israel]. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer [C somewhere near Aphek; means “stone of help”] and the Philistines [L camped] at Aphek [C on the plain of Sharon, northeast of Joppa].
10 There was a ·follower of Jesus [L disciple] in Damascus named Ananias [22:12]. The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision, “Ananias!”
Ananias answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street [C the main east-west street of the city]. Find the house of Judas [C not either of Jesus’ disciples by that name; Judas was a common name], and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus [C a town in Cilicia, a Roman province in southeastern Asia Minor (present-day Turkey)]. He is there now, praying. 12 Saul has seen a vision in which a man named Ananias comes to him and ·lays [places] his hands on him. Then he is able to see again.”
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and the ·terrible [evil; harmful] things he did to your ·holy people [saints] in Jerusalem. 14 Now he has come here to Damascus, and the ·leading [T chief] priests have given him the ·power [authority] to ·arrest [bind] everyone who ·worships you [L calls on your name].”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! ·I have chosen Saul for an important work [L For he is my chosen instrument/vessel]. ·He must tell about me [L …to take/carry my name] to the ·Gentiles [nations], to kings, and to the people of Israel. 16 [L For] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 So Ananias went to the house of Judas. He ·laid [placed] his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus sent me. He is the one ·you saw [L who appeared to you] on the road on your way here. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something that looked like ·fish scales [or flakes] fell from Saul’s eyes, and he was able to see again! Then Saul got up and was baptized. 19 After he ate some food, his strength returned.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
Saul stayed with the ·followers of Jesus [disciples] in Damascus for ·a few [several; some] days.
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