Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer of Thanks

118 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. ² Let Israel say, “His loving-kindness lasts forever.”

¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song. He is the One Who saves me.

¹⁵ The joy of being saved is being heard in the tents of those who are right and good. The right hand of the Lord does powerful things. ¹⁶ The Lord’s right hand is lifted high. The right hand of the Lord does powerful things. ¹⁷ I will not die but live. And I will tell of what the Lord has done. ¹⁸ The Lord has punished me but He has not given me over to death.

¹⁹ Open to me the gates of what is right and good. I will go through them and give thanks to the Lord. ²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord. Those who are right with God will pass through it. ²¹ I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me. And You are the One Who saves me.

²² The stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important stone in the building. ²³ The Lord has done this. We think it is great! ²⁴ This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be full of joy and be glad in it.

3 Joshua got up early in the morning. He and all the people of Israel left Shittim and came to the Jordan. And they stayed there before they crossed. ² After three days the leaders went among the tents. ³ They told the people, “When you see the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God with the religious leaders carrying it, leave your places and follow it. ⁴ Then you may know the way to go, for you have not passed this way before. But stay about 1,000 long steps away from it. Do not come near it.”

⁵ Then Joshua said to the people, “Make yourselves holy. For tomorrow the Lord will do powerful works among you.” ⁶ Joshua said to the religious leaders, “Take up the special box of the agreement and cross over in front of the people.” So they took up the special box of the agreement and went in front of the people.

⁷ The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to give you honor in the eyes of all Israel. Then they may know that I will be with you just as I have been with Moses. ⁸ Tell the religious leaders who are carrying the special box of the agreement, ‘When you come to the water of the Jordan River, stand still in it.’” ⁹ Then Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here. Listen to the words of the Lord your God.” ¹⁰ And Joshua said, “You will know that the living God is among you because He will be sure to drive away from in front of you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite and the Jebusite. ¹¹ See, the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth is crossing over in front of you in the Jordan. ¹² Now choose twelve men from the families of Israel, one man for each family. ¹³ The religious leaders who carry the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth, will rest their feet in the water of the Jordan. Then the water of the Jordan will be cut off. The water flowing down from above will gather together in one place.”

¹⁴ So the people left their tents to cross the Jordan. The religious leaders carried the special box of the agreement in front of the people. ¹⁵ They carried it to the Jordan and put their feet in the water. (For the Jordan water floods during the time of gathering grain.) ¹⁶ Then the water flowing down from above stood and rose up in one place far away at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, was all cut off. So the people crossed beside Jericho. ¹⁷ The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. And all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had crossed the Jordan.

Jesus Is Raised from the Dead ^(A)

28 The Day of Rest was over. The sun was coming up on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the grave. ² At once the earth shook and an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. He came and pushed back the stone from the door and sat on it. ³ His face was bright like lightning. His clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The soldiers were shaking with fear and became as dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus Who was nailed to the cross. ⁶ He is not here! He has risen from the dead as He said He would. Come and see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ Run fast and tell His followers that He is risen from the dead. He is going before you to the country of Galilee. You will see Him there as I have told you.” ⁸ They went away from the grave in a hurry. They were afraid and yet had much joy. They ran to tell the news to His followers.

⁹ As they went to tell the followers, Jesus met them and said hello to them. They came and held His feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My followers to go to Galilee. They will see Me there.”