Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Voice of the Lord in the Storm
29 Give to the Lord, O sons of the powerful. Give to the Lord shining-greatness and strength. 2 Give to the Lord the honor that belongs to Him. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holy living.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The God of shining-greatness thunders. The Lord is over many waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is great. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the tall cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon jump like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild bull. 7 The voice of the Lord sends out lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert. The Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and tears away the leaves of the trees. And in His holy house everything says, “Honor to God!”
10 The Lord sat as King over the flood. The Lord sits as King forever. 11 The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will give His people peace.
3 Then Samuel said to all the family of Israel, “Return to the Lord with all your heart. Put away the strange gods and the false goddess Ashtaroth from among you. Turn your hearts to the Lord and worship Him alone. Then He will save you from the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away from among them the false gods of Baal and Ashtaroth and worshiped the Lord alone.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah. They got water and poured it out before the Lord as a gift, and did not eat that day. They said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 The Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, so the leaders of the Philistines went to battle against them. When the people of Israel heard about it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Philistines.” 9 Samuel took a young lamb and gave it as a whole burnt gift to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 As Samuel was burning the gift to the Lord, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel. But the Lord made a loud thunder that day against the Philistines, making them afraid. So they lost the battle with Israel. 11 The men of Israel left Mizpah and went after the Philistines, killing them almost as far as Bethcar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He gave it the name Ebenezer, saying, “The Lord has helped us this far.” 13 So the Philistines were beaten. They did not come into the land of Israel again. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel’s life. 14 The cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned, from Ekron to Gath. Israel saved their land from the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 Every year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there. He judged Israel there also, and built an altar to the Lord.
19 After that he ate some food and received strength. For some days he stayed with the followers in Damascus.
Saul Preaches the Good News
20 At once Saul began to preach in the Jewish places of worship that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All who heard him were surprised and wondered. They said, “This is the man who beat and killed the followers in Jerusalem. He came here to tie the followers in chains and take them to the head religious leaders.” 22 But Saul kept on growing in power. The Jews living in Damascus wondered about Saul’s preaching. He was proving that Jesus was the Christ.
23 After some days the Jews talked together and made plans how they might kill Saul. 24 He heard of their plans. Day and night they watched for him at the city gates to kill him. 25 So the followers helped him get away at night. They let him down over the wall in a basket.
Saul Comes to Jerusalem
26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were afraid of him. They did not believe he was a true follower of Jesus. 27 Then Barnabas took him to the missionaries. He told them that Saul had seen the Lord on the road. He told them also how the Lord had spoken to Saul and how he had preached without fear in Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 After that he was with them going in and out of Jerusalem. 29 He preached without fear in the name of the Lord. He talked and argued with the Jews who spoke the Greek language. They kept trying to kill him. 30 When the followers heard this, they took him down to the city of Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.
31 Then the church through all the countries of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace for awhile. The church was made strong and it was given comfort by the Holy Spirit. It honored the Lord. More people were added to the church.
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