Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Keeps His Own
40 I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up out of the hole of danger, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock, making my feet sure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will put their trust in the Lord.
4 How happy is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud or to the followers of lies. 5 O Lord my God, many are the great works You have done, and Your thoughts toward us. No one can compare with You! If I were to speak and tell of them, there would be too many to number.
6 You have not wanted gifts given on the altar in worship. You have opened my ears. You have not wanted burnt gifts or gifts to cover sins. 7 Then I said, “Look, I have come. It is written about me in the book. 8 I am happy to do Your will, O my God. Your Law is within my heart.”
9 I have told the good news about what is right and good in the big meeting with many people. You know I will not close my lips, O Lord. 10 I have not hidden what is right and good with You in my heart. I have spoken about how faithful You are and about Your saving power. I have not hidden Your loving-kindness and Your truth from the big meeting.
11 O Lord, You will not keep Your loving-pity from me. Your loving-kindness and Your truth will always keep me safe.
30 When Isaac had finished praying that good would come to Jacob, Jacob left his father Isaac. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 Then Esau made good-tasting food and brought it to his father, and said, “Sit up, my father, and eat the meat your son has made ready, so you will pray that good will come to me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your first-born, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac shook all over, and he said, “Who was it then who killed an animal and brought meat to me? I ate all of it before you came! And I prayed that good would come to him! Yes, and good will come to him!”
34 When he heard what his father said, Esau cried out with a loud and sad cry. He said to his father, “Pray that good will come to me also, O my father!” 35 But Isaac said, “Your brother came in and fooled me. He has taken away the good that was to come to you.”
36 Then Esau said, “Was it not right that he was given the name Jacob? Two times now he has taken what should have been mine. He took away my right as a first-born. And now he has taken away the good that was to come to me.” Then he said, “Can you not pray that good will come to me also?”
37 Isaac answered Esau, “See, I have made him to rule over you. I have given him all his brothers as servants. I have given him grain and new wine to keep him alive and well. What then can I do for you, my son?”
38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one prayer for good to come, my father? Pray that good will come to me also, O my father.” And Esau gave out a loud cry.
Luke Writes to Theophilus
1 Dear Theophilus, in my first writings I wrote about all the things Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day He went to heaven. He spoke to the missionaries through the Holy Spirit. He told those whom He had chosen what they should do. 3 After He had suffered much and then died, He showed Himself alive in many sure ways for forty days. He told them many things about the holy nation of God.
Jesus Speaks Before He Goes to Be with the Father
4 As they were gathered together with Him, He told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for what the Father has promised. You heard Me speak of this. 5 For John the Baptist baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
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