Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Praise to Jehovah the abundant Helper.

⁹ Therefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity. ¹⁰ We grope for the wall like the blind; yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; ^[a]among them that are lusty we are as dead men. ¹¹ We roar all like bears, and moan sore like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. ¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: ¹³ transgressing and denying Jehovah, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. ¹⁴ And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. ¹⁵ Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.

And Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. ¹⁶ And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was ^[b]no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. ¹⁷ And he put on righteousness as a ^[c]breastplate, and ^[d]a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. ¹⁸ According to their ^[e]deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the ^[f]islands he will repay recompense. ¹⁹ So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; ^[g]for he will come as ^[h]a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth.

9 But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, ² and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: ⁴ and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: ⁶ but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ⁷ And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the ^[a]voice, but beholding no man. ⁸ And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; ¹² and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³ But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴ and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. ¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a ^[b]chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁶ for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake. ¹⁷ And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened.

And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God.