Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

In Praise of God the Savior

Instructions for Ordaining Aaron and His Sons as Priests^(A)

29 “This is what you are to do to Aaron and his sons to dedicate them as priests in my service. Take one young bull and two rams without any defects. ² Use the best wheat flour, but no yeast, and make some bread with olive oil, some without it, and some in the form of thin cakes brushed with oil. ³ Put them in a basket and offer them to me when you sacrifice the bull and the two rams.

⁴ “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of my presence, and have them take a ritual bath. ⁵ Then dress Aaron in the priestly garments—the shirt, the robe that goes under the ephod, the ephod, the breastpiece, and the belt. ⁶ Put the turban on him and tie on it the sacred sign of dedication engraved ‘Dedicated to the Lord.’ ⁷ Then take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.

⁸ “Bring his sons and put shirts on them; ⁹ put sashes around their waists and tie caps on their heads. That is how you are to ordain Aaron and his sons. They and their descendants are to serve me as priests forever.

Paul Tells of His Conversion^(A)

⁶ “As I was traveling and coming near Damascus, about midday a bright light from the sky flashed suddenly around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ⁸ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute,’ he said to me. ⁹ The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ I asked, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that God has determined for you to do.’ ¹¹ I was blind because of the bright light, and so my companions took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.

¹² “In that city was a man named Ananias, a religious man who obeyed our Law and was highly respected by all the Jews living there. ¹³ He came to me, stood by me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, see again!’ At that very moment I saw again and looked at him. ¹⁴ He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice. ¹⁵ For you will be a witness for him to tell everyone what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now, why wait any longer? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by praying to him.’

Paul's Call to Preach to the Gentiles

¹⁷ “I went back to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the Temple, I had a vision, ¹⁸ in which I saw the Lord, as he said to me, ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your witness about me.’ ¹⁹ ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that I went to the synagogues and arrested and beat those who believe in you. ^20 (B)And when your witness Stephen was put to death, I myself was there, approving of his murder and taking care of the cloaks of his murderers.’ ²¹ ‘Go,’ the Lord said to me, ‘for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”