Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 148
Creation’s Praise of the Lord
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.(A)
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly armies.(B)
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.(C)
4 Praise him, highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.(D)
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded, and they were created.(E)
6 He set them in position forever and ever;
he gave an order that will never pass away.(F)
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,(G)
8 lightning[a] and hail, snow and cloud,
stormy wind that executes his command,(H)
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,(I)
10 wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,(J)
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,(K)
12 young men as well as young women,
old and young together.(L)
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers heaven and earth.(M)
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
resulting in praise to all his faithful ones,
to the Israelites, the people close to him.(N)
Hallelujah!
17 However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, 18 and they abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the Asherah poles and the idols.(A) So there was wrath(B) against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Nevertheless, he sent them prophets(C) to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.(D)
20 The Spirit of God enveloped[a](E) Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands so that you do not prosper?(F) Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”(G) 21 But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.(H) 22 King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand(I) an account.”
Aramean Invasion of Judah
23 At the turn of the year, an Aramean army attacked Joash.(J) They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over(K) a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned(L) the Lord, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.
Seven Chosen to Serve
6 In those days, as the disciples(A) were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.(B) 2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation,(C) full of the Spirit(D) and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen,(E) a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.(F) 6 They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed(G) and laid their hands on(H) them.
7 So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased(I) greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
Resisting the Holy Spirit
51 “You stiff-necked(A) people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!(B) You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?(C) They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers(D) you have now become. 53 You received the law under the direction of angels(E) and yet have not kept it.”
The First Christian Martyr
54 When they heard these things, they were enraged[a] and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(F) 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (G)
57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone(H) him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.(I) 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (J) 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,(K) “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.(L)
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