Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The God of Power and Justice
A song.
98 Sing to the Lord a new song
because he has done miracles.
By his right hand and holy arm
he has won the victory.
2 The Lord has told about his power to save.
He has shown the other nations his victory for his people.
3 He has remembered his love
and his loyalty to the people of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
God’s power to save.
4 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Burst into songs and praise.
5 Make music to the Lord with harps,
with harps and the sound of singing.
6 Blow the trumpets and the sheep’s horns.
Shout for joy to the Lord the King.
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout.
Let the world and everyone on it sing.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands.
Let the mountains sing together for joy.
9 Let them sing before the Lord
because he is coming to judge the world.
He will judge the world fairly.
He will judge the nations with fairness.
5 God, the Lord, said these things.
He created the skies and stretched them out.
He spread out the earth and everything on it.
He gives life to all people on earth.
He gives life to everyone who walks on the earth.
6 The Lord says, “I called you to do right.
And I will hold your hand.
I will protect you.
You will be the sign of my agreement with the people.
You will be a light to shine for all people.
7 You will help the blind to see.
You will free those who are in prison.
You will lead those who live in darkness out of their prison.
8 “I am the Lord. That is my name.
I will not give my glory to another.
I will not let idols take the praise that should be mine.
9 The things I said would happen have happened.
And now I tell you about new things.
Before those things happen,
I tell you about them.”
Peter’s Speech
34 Peter began to speak: “I really understand now that to God every person is the same. 35 God accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important what country a person comes from. 36 You know that God has sent his message to the people of Israel. That message is the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all people! 37 You know what has happened all over Judea. It began in Galilee after John[a] preached to the people about baptism. 38 You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Christ by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. You know how Jesus went everywhere doing good. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, for God was with Jesus. 39 We saw all the things that Jesus did in Judea and in Jerusalem. But they killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40 Yet, on the third day, God raised Jesus to life and caused him to be seen. 41 But he was not seen by all the people. Only the witnesses that God had already chosen saw him, and we are those witnesses. We ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. 42 He told us to preach to the people and to tell them that he is the one whom God chose to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 Everyone who believes in Jesus will be forgiven. God will forgive his sins through Jesus. All the prophets say this is true.”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.