Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Praising God for His Graciousness

A Prophecy against Idolatry

14 Later, some men from the elders of Israel came to visit me. After they had sat down in my presence, ² this message came to me from the Lord.

³ “Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They’ve placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all? ⁴ Therefore, speak up and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Every person from Israel’s house who follows his idols and sets the stumbling block that is his own sin in front of his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord will answer him according to how many idols he embraces. ⁵ I’ll do this in order to capture the hearts of Israel’s house who have become alienated from me due to all of their idols.”’”

An Exhortation to Turn Away

⁶ “Therefore you are to tell Israel’s house, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Turn away! Turn away from your idols, and abandon your detestable practices! ⁷ For when a native Israeli or a resident alien abandons me to set up idols in his heart behind my back, and then places the stumbling block of his iniquity right in front of his own face, then approaches a prophet to inquire of me on behalf of his own self-interest, I, the Lord will answer him myself. ⁸ I’m determined to oppose that person^[a] and make him an example. Proverbs will be written about him^[b] when I eliminate him from my people. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”’”

On False Prophets

⁹ “Now as to the prophet, if through deceit he delivers a message, I the Lord have deceived that prophet! I’ll reach out in opposition to him and exterminate him from among my people Israel. ¹⁰ They’ll bear the consequences of their guilt, and the prophet will be just as guilty as the one who seeks that prophet’s guidance. ¹¹ Then Israel’s house won’t wander away from me again, nor will they defile themselves again with all their transgressions. They’ll become my people and I’ll be their God,” declares the Lord God.

A Crippled Man is Healed

3 One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o’clock prayer time.^{[a] 2} Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people^[b] would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple. ³ When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something.

⁴ Peter, along with John, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man^[c] watched them closely, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ However, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah^[d] from Nazareth, walk!”^{[e] 7} Then Peter^[f] took hold of his right hand and began to help him up. Immediately his feet and ankles became strong, ⁸ and he sprang to his feet, stood up, and began to walk. Then he went with them into the Temple, walking, jumping, and praising God.

⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.