Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise to God for His Power and Redemption
135 Praise Yah![a] Praise the name of Yahweh.
Praise him, O servants of Yahweh,
2 who stand in the house[b] of Yahweh,
in the courts of the house[c] of our God.
3 Praise Yah,[d] for Yahweh is good.
Sing praises concerning his name, for it is pleasant.
4 For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his special possession.
5 For I know that Yahweh is great,
and our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 All that Yahweh desires, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the depths.
7 He causes clouds to rise from the edge of the earth;
he makes lightnings for the rain;
he brings out the wind from his storehouses.
8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt,
both of humans[e] and animals.[f]
9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 Who struck many nations
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon the king of the Amorites,
and Og the king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance for his people Israel.
13 O Yahweh, your name endures forever,
your renown[g] throughout all generations,[h]
14 for Yahweh will plead the cause of his people
and will have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of the hands of humankind.
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak;
they have eyes, but cannot see;
17 they have ears, but cannot hear;
there is not even breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
as does everyone who trusts in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless Yahweh.
O house of Aaron, bless Yahweh.
20 O house of Levi, bless Yahweh.
You who fear Yahweh, bless Yahweh.
21 Blessed be Yahweh from Zion,
who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise Yah![i]
Condemnation of Israel’s Idolatrous Elders
14 And men from the elders of Israel came to me, and they sat before me.[a] 2 And the word of Yahweh came[b] to me, saying,[c] 3 “Son of man,[d] these men took up their idols into their heart and they placed before themselves[e] a stumbling block of their guilt.[f] Should I really let myself be consulted by them?[g] 4 Therefore speak with them, and you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Every person from the house of Israel who brings up his idols into his heart and places before himself[h] a stumbling block of his guilt[i] and yet he comes to the prophet, I Yahweh, I will respond to him through this act[j] with respect to the multitude[k] of his idols, 5 so that I may take hold of the house of Israel by their heart, those who are estranged from me, all of them, through their idols.’ 6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Return,[l] and turn away from your idols and from all of your detestable things! Turn away your faces!”’ 7 For each person[m] from the house of Israel, and from the alien who dwells as an alien in Israel, who separates himself from following me[n] and brings up his idols into his heart and places before himself[o] a stumbling block of his guilt[p], and yet he comes to the prophet to consult him concerning me, I Yahweh will answer[q] him myself. 8 And I will set my face against that person, and I will make him to[r] be a sign and make him into[s] the subject of proverbs; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people, and you will know I am Yahweh. 9 And the prophet, if he is deceived and he speaks a word, I Yahweh, I have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him, and I will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 And they will bear their guilt, like[t] the guilt of the inquirer so[u] the guilt of the prophet will be, 11 so that the house of Israel will not go astray again from me,[v] and they will not make themselves unclean again with all of their transgressions, and they will be for me a people, and I will be for them as God,” declares[w] the Lord Yahweh.
A Lame Beggar Healed at the Temple
3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man was being carried who was lame from birth.[a] He[b] was placed every day at the gate of the temple called “Beautiful,” so that he could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple courts.[c] 3 When he[d] saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts,[e] he began asking to receive alms. 4 And Peter looked intently at him, together with John, and[f] said, “Look at us!” 5 So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not possess,[g] but what I have, this I give to you—in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”[h] 7 And taking hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began walking around[i] and entered into the temple courts[j] with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 And they recognized him, that this one[k] was the one who used to sit asking for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.
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