Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 146

Praise Him for Protection

Praise for Protection

A Lifetime of Praise

No Help in Humans

Help in the Lord

An Eternity for Praise

The Ordination of the Priests

29 This is what you shall do to them to set them apart as holy, so that they can minister to me in the priest’s office:

Take one young bull and two rams without defect, ² unleavened bread, unleavened rolls mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed^[a] with oil. Make them from fine wheat flour. ³ Put them into one basket and bring them in the basket when you bring the bull and the two rams. ⁴ Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. ⁵ Take the garments and put them on Aaron: the tunic, the robe to be worn under the vest, the vest, and the pouch. Clothe him with the sash of the vest. ⁶ Set the turban on his head and put the holy crest on the turban. ⁷ Then take the anointing oil and pour it on his head to anoint him. ⁸ You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. ⁹ Clothe them with sashes—Aaron and his sons—and bind small pointed turbans on them. Then they shall possess the priesthood by means of a perpetual regulation. You shall ordain Aaron and his sons for their work.^[b]

⁶ “While I was on the way and approaching Damascus, about noon a very bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

⁸ “I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’

⁹ “Those who were with me saw the light,^[a] but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

¹⁰ “I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’

“The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told about everything you have been assigned to do.’ ¹¹ Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.

¹² “A man named Ananias lived there. He was a devout observer of the law and highly recommended by all the Jews living there. ¹³ He came to me, and as he stood beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ At that very moment I was able to see him.

¹⁴ “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear the sound of his voice. ¹⁵ For you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ Now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance. ¹⁸ I saw the Lord telling me: ‘Hurry, get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

¹⁹ “I said, ‘Lord, these people know that I went from one synagogue to another imprisoning and beating those who believed in you. ²⁰ And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I stood by, giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were putting him to death.’

²¹ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”