Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Cry for Help
69 Save me, O God, for the waters have almost taken my life. 2 I have gone down into deep mud and there is no place to put my feet. I have come into deep waters and a flood comes over me. 3 I have cried until I am tired. My mouth is dry. My eyes become weak while I wait for my God. 4 Those who hate me, without a reason, are more than the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me are powerful. I am made to return things that I did not steal.
5 O God, You know how foolish I am. My sins are not hidden from You.
30 I will praise the name of God with song. And I will give Him great honor with much thanks. 31 This will please the Lord more than any ox or young bull with horns and hoofs. 32 Those without pride will see it and be glad. You who look for God, let your heart receive new strength. 33 For the Lord hears those who are in need, and does not hate His people in prison.
34 Let heaven and earth and the seas and all the things that move in them give thanks to Him. 35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah. Then His people may live there and have it for their own. 36 And the children of those who obey Him will have it given to them. Those who love His name will live there.
The Holy Oil for Pouring
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the best spices: a heavy weight of flowing myrrh, half that weight of sweet-smelling cinnamon and of sweet-smelling cane, 24 and a heavy weight of cassia, the weight decided upon by the holy place, and a large jar of olive oil. 25 Mix these to make a holy oil for holy use, mixed like perfume made by an able workman. It will be a holy oil for holy use. 26 Pour it on the meeting tent and the box of the Law, 27 the table and all its objects, the lamp-stand and all its objects, the altar of special perfume, 28 the altar of burnt gifts and all its objects, and the washing pot and its base. 29 Set them apart so they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will be holy. 30 Pour oil on Aaron and his sons. Set them apart so they may serve as religious leaders for Me. 31 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This will be a holy oil to Me for all your people for all time. 32 It will not be poured on the flesh of man. And you will not mix any like it. It is holy. It will be holy to you. 33 Whoever mixes any like it, or puts any of it on a man who is not a religious leader, will be cut off from his people.’”
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense. Take the same amount of each. 35 Mix them to make a special perfume, salted, pure and holy, the work of an able workman. 36 Beat some of it very fine. And put some of it in front of the special box of the agreement in the meeting tent, where I will meet with you. It will be most holy to you. 37 Do not mix this special perfume in the same way for yourselves. It will be holy for you to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume will be cut off from his people.”
2 When they heard him speak to them in their own language, they stopped making noise. Then he said,
3 “I am a Jew. I was born in the city of Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. When I was a young man, I lived here in Jerusalem. I went to Gamaliel’s school and learned all about the Law of our early fathers. I worked hard for God as you all do today.
4 “I worked hard and killed men and women who believed as I believe today. I put them in chains and sent them to prison. 5 The head religious leader and the leaders of the people can tell you this is true. I got letters from them to take to our Jewish brothers in the city of Damascus. I was going there to put the Christians in chains and bring them to Jerusalem where they would be beaten.
The Change in Paul’s Life on the Damascus Road
6 “I was near Damascus. All at once, about noon, I saw a bright light from heaven shining around me. 7 I fell to the ground. A voice said to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you work so hard against Me?’ 8 I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the One you are working against.’ 9 Those who were with me saw the light. But they did not hear Him speaking to me. 10 I asked, ‘Lord, what should I do?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up! Go to Damascus. You will be told what to do there.’
11 “I could not see because of the bright light. Those who were with me had to lead me by the hand until we came to Damascus. 12 Ananias lived there. He obeyed the Law and was respected by all the Jews. 13 He came and stood near me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ At once I was able to see him. 14 Then Ananias said, ‘The God of our fathers chose you to know what He wants done. He chose you to see Jesus Christ, the One Right with God, and to hear His voice. 15 You are to tell all men what you have seen and heard. 16 What are you waiting for? Get up! Be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on His name.’
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.