Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵⁵ Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.^{(A) 56} He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ^(B)

⁵⁷ They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. ⁵⁸ They dragged him out of the city and began to stone^(C) him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{(D) 59} While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ^{(E) 60} He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,^(F) “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.^(G)

Psalm 31

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

² Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,^[a](A) so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, ³ if you have tasted^(B) that the Lord is good.^{[b](C) 4} As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by^[c] God— ⁵ you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood^[d] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God^(D) through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture:

⁷ So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

⁸ and

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined^(J) for this.

⁹ But you are a chosen race,^[i][j](K) a royal priesthood,^[k](L) a holy nation,^[l](M) a people for his possession,^[m](N) so that you may proclaim the praises^[n][o](O) of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.^{(P) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,^(Q) but now you have received mercy.

The Way to the Father

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled.^(A) Believe^[a] in God; ^(B) believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going ^(C) to prepare a place for you? ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again^(D) and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.^{(E) 4} You know the way to where I am going.”^[b](F)

⁵ “Lord,” Thomas^(G) said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am^(H) the way,^(I) the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[c] my Father.^(J) From now on you do know him^(K) and have seen him.”

Jesus Reveals the Father

⁸ “Lord,” said Philip,^(L) “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father.^(M) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?^(N) The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own.^(O) The Father who lives in me does his works.^{(P) 11} Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe^[d] because of the works themselves.^(Q)

Praying in Jesus’s Name

¹² “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me^(R) will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these,^(S) because I am going to the Father.^{(T) 13} Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified^(U) in the Son.^{(V) 14} If you ask me^[e] anything in my name,^(W) I will do it.^[f](X)