Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Saul Becomes a Believer
9 Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord’s disciples, Saul went to the high priest. 2 He asked him for letters to take with him[a] to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. 3 As Saul[b] traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 He dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?”[c]
The voice[d] said, “I’m Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
7 Meanwhile, the men who were traveling with Saul[a] were standing speechless, for they heard the voice but didn’t see anyone. 8 When Saul got up off the ground, he couldn’t see anything, even though his eyes were open. So his companions[b] took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he couldn’t see, and he didn’t eat or drink anything.
10 Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 The Lord told him, “Get up, go to the street called Straight, and in the home of Judas look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. At this very moment he’s praying. 12 He has seen in a vision[c] a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so he would see again.”
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard many people tell how much evil this man has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord told him, “Go, because he’s my chosen instrument to carry my name to unbelievers,[d] to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel. 16 since I’m going to show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Saul’s Sight is Restored
17 So Ananias left and went to that house. He laid his hands on Saul[e] and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 All at once something like scales fell from Saul’s[f] eyes, and he could see again.
He got up and was baptized, 19 and after eating some food, he felt strong again. For several days he stayed with the disciples in Damascus. 20 He immediately started to preach about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This is the Son of God.”
A Davidic Psalm for the dedication of the Temple.
Thanksgiving for Deliverance
30 I exalt you, Lord,
for you have lifted me up,
and my enemies could not gloat over me.
2 Lord, my God!
I cried out to you for help
and you healed me.
3 Lord, you brought me from death;[a]
you kept me alive so that I did not descend into the Pit.[b]
4 You, his godly ones,
sing to the Lord,
give thanks at the mention of his holiness.
5 For his wrath is only momentary;
yet his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may lodge for the night,
but shouts of joy will come in the morning.
6 As for me,
I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”
7 By your favor, Lord,
you established me as a strong mountain;
Then you hid your face,
and I was dismayed.
8 I cried out to you, Lord,
and I make supplication to the Lord:
9 “What profit is there in my death[c] if I go down to the Pit?[d]
Can dust worship you?
Can it proclaim your faithfulness?”
10 Hear me, Lord,
and have mercy on me!
Lord, help me!
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you took off my sackcloth
and clothed me with a garment of joy,
12 so that I may sing praise to you
and not remain silent.
Lord, my God,
I will give you thanks forever!
The Vision of the Song of the Lamb
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels, the living creatures, and the elders surrounding the throne. They numbered 10,000’s times 10,000 and thousands times thousands. 12 They sang with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!”
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying,
“To the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb
be praise, honor, glory, and power forever and ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”, and the elders bowed down and worshipped.
Jesus Appears to Seven of His Disciples
21 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is what happened: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin),[a] Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two of his other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.”
They all told him, “We’ll go with you, too.” So they went out and got into the boat but didn’t catch a thing that night.
4 Just as dawn was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. 5 Jesus asked them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He told them, “Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you’ll catch[b] some.” So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish.
7 That disciple whom Jesus kept loving told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his clothes back on, because he was practically naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were only about 200 cubits[c] away from the shore.
9 When they arrived at the shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish lying on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring me some of the fish you’ve just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish—153 of them. And although there were so many of them, the net was not torn.
12 Then Jesus told them, “Come, have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”, because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did[d] the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.
Jesus Speaks with Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Peter[e] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus[f] told him, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Then he asked him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter[g] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus[h] told him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 He asked him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” So he told him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”
Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep. 18 “Truly, I tell you[i] emphatically, when you were young, you would fasten your belt and go wherever you liked. But when you get old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten your belt and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Now he said this to show by what kind of death he would glorify God.
After saying this, Jesus[j] told him, “Keep following me.”
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