Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵⁵ But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right side. ⁵⁶ He said, “Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God’s right side.”

⁵⁷ Then they shouted loudly and covered their ears and all ran at Stephen. ⁵⁸ They took him out of the city and began to throw stones at him to kill him. And those who told lies against Stephen left their coats with a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ While they were throwing stones, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell on his knees and cried in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” After Stephen said this, he died.

A Prayer of Faith in Troubled Times

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

² As newborn babies want milk, you should want the pure and simple teaching. By it you can mature in your salvation, ³ because you have already examined and seen how good the Lord is.

⁴ Come to the Lord Jesus, the “stone”^[a] that lives. The people of the world did not want this stone, but he was the stone God chose, and he was precious. ⁵ You also are like living stones, so let yourselves be used to build a spiritual temple—to be holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices to God. He will accept those sacrifices through Jesus Christ. ⁶ The Scripture says:

⁷ This stone is worth much to you who believe. But to the people who do not believe,

⁸ Also, he is

They stumble because they do not obey what God says, which is what God planned to happen to them.

⁹ But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ At one time you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. In the past you had never received mercy, but now you have received God’s mercy.

Jesus Comforts His Followers

14 Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. ² There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”^[a]

⁵ Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. ⁷ If you really knew me, you would know my Father, too. But now you do know him, and you have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”

⁹ Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you don’t come from me, but the Father lives in me and does his own work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done. ¹² I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.