Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
11 Mean people come forward to speak against me.
They ask me things I don’t know anything about.
12 They pay me back with evil, even though I was good to them.
They leave me like someone who has lost a family member.
13 But when they were sick, I put on the clothing of sadness.
I made myself humble by going without food.
My prayers for them weren’t always answered.
14 So I went around crying
as if I were mourning over my friend or relative.
I bowed my head in sadness
as if I were weeping over my mother.
15 But when I tripped and fell, they were all very happy.
Attackers gathered against me when I didn’t even know it.
They kept on telling lies about me.
16 Like ungodly people, they were mean and made fun of me.
They ground their teeth at me in hate.
17 Lord, how much longer will you just look on?
Save me from their deadly attacks.
Save the only life I have.
Save me from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the whole community.
Among all your people I will praise you.
19 Don’t let those who are my enemies without any reason
laugh at me and make fun of me.
Don’t let those who hate me without any reason
wink at me with an evil purpose.
20 They don’t speak words of peace.
They make up false charges
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They make fun of me.
They say, “With our own eyes we have seen what you did.”
22 Lord, you have seen this. Don’t be silent.
Lord, don’t be far away from me.
23 Wake up! Rise up to help me!
My God and Lord, stand up for me.
24 Lord my God, when you hand down your sentence, let it be in my favor.
You always do what is right.
Don’t let my enemies have the joy of seeing me fall.
25 Don’t let them think, “That’s exactly what we wanted!”
Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let all those who laugh at me because I’m in trouble
be ashamed and bewildered.
Let all who think they are better than I am
put on shame and dishonor as if they were clothes.
27 Let those who are happy when my name is cleared
shout with joy and gladness.
Let them always say, “May the Lord be honored.
He is pleased when everything goes well with the one who serves him.”
28 You always do what is right. My tongue will speak about it
and praise you all day long.
Rules for the Sabbath Day
35 Moses gathered the whole community of Israel together. He said to them, “Here are the things the Lord has commanded you to do. 2 You must do your work in six days. But the seventh day will be your holy day. It will be a day of sabbath rest to honor the Lord. You must rest on it. Anyone who does any work on it must be put to death. 3 Do not even light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.”
Supplies for the Holy Tent
4 Moses spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, “Here is what the Lord has commanded. 5 Take an offering for the Lord from what you have. Those who want to can bring an offering to the Lord. Here is what they can bring.
“gold, silver and bronze
6 blue, purple and bright red yarn and fine linen
goat hair
7 ram skins that are dyed red
another kind of strong leather
acacia wood
8 olive oil for the lights
spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet-smelling incense
9 onyx stones and other jewels for the linen apron and the chest cloth
10 “All the skilled workers among you must come. They must make everything the Lord has commanded 11 for the holy tent and its covering. Here is what they must make.
“hooks, frames, crossbars, posts and bases
12 the ark of the covenant law, the poles and cover for the ark, and the curtain that hides the ark
13 the table for the holy bread, the poles and all the things for the table, and the holy bread
14 the lampstand for light and everything used with it, the lamps, and the olive oil that gives light
15 the altar for burning incense, the poles for the altar, the anointing oil and the sweet-smelling incense
the curtain for the entrance to the holy tent
16 the altar for burnt offerings with its bronze grate, its poles and all its tools
the large bronze bowl with its stand
17 the curtains of the courtyard with their posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard
18 the ropes and tent stakes for the holy tent and for the courtyard
19 and the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests”
20 Then the whole community of Israel left Moses. 21 Everyone who wanted to give offerings to the Lord brought them to him. The offerings were for the work on the tent of meeting. They were also for the sacred clothes and for any other purpose at the tent. 22 Every man and woman who wanted to give came. They brought gold jewelry of all kinds. They brought pins, earrings, rings and other jewelry. All of them gave their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 People brought what they had. They brought blue, purple or bright red yarn or fine linen. They brought goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or the other kind of strong leather. 24 Some brought silver or bronze as an offering to the Lord. Others brought acacia wood for any part of the work. 25 All the skilled women spun yarn with their hands. They brought blue, purple or bright red yarn or fine linen. 26 All the skilled women who wanted to spin the goat hair did so. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other jewels for the linen apron and the chest cloth. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil. They brought them for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet-smelling incense. 29 All the men and women of Israel who wanted to bring offerings to the Lord brought them to him. The offerings were for all the work the Lord had commanded Moses to tell them to do.
Peter Has a Vision
9 It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. 11 He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”
16 This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.
17 Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate 18 and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.
19 Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. “Simon,” he said, “three men are looking for you. 20 Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and spoke to the men. “I’m the one you’re looking for,” he said. “Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius
The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along.
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