Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 The Lord’s anger burned against his people,
so that he despised his own inheritance.
41 He turned them over to domination by nations
where those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them,
so that they were humiliated by their power.
43 He delivered them many times,
but they demonstrated rebellion by their evil plans;
therefore they sunk deep in their sins.
44 Yet when he saw their distress
and heard their cries for help,[a]
45 he remembered his covenant with them,
and so relented
according to the greatness of his gracious love.
46 He caused all their captors to show compassion toward them.
47 Deliver us, Lord our God,
gather us from among the nations
so we may praise your holy name
and rejoice in praising you.
48 Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel,
from eternity to eternity;
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Hallelujah!
The Reason for Judgment
12 Who is the wise person who understands this, and to whom has the Lord[a] spoken so that he may declare it? Why is the land destroyed, ruined like the desert, without anyone passing through it? 13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my Law that I gave them. They didn’t obey me and didn’t live according to it. 14 Instead, they followed their rebellious hearts and the Baals,[b] as their ancestors taught them.”
15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Look, I’ll make these people eat wormwood[c] and drink poisoned water. 16 I’ll scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I’ll pursue them with the sword until I’ve finished them off.”
A Call to Lament
17 This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“Think about what I’m saying![d]
Indeed, call out the professional mourners![e]
Send for the best of them to come.
18 Let them hurry and lament for us.
Let tears run down from our eyes,
and let our eyelids flow with water.
19 For a sound of mourning is heard from Zion:
‘How we’re ruined!
Our shame is very great,
because we have left the land,
because our houses are torn down.’”
20 “Now, you women, hear the message from the Lord;
listen to what he has to say!
Teach your daughters how to mourn,
let every woman teach[f] her friend how to lament.
21 For death comes up through our windows;
it has come into our palaces
to eliminate children from the streets
and young men from the town squares.
22 Speak! ‘This is what the Lord says:
“The corpses of people will fall like dung
on the surface of the field,
and like a row of cut grain behind
the harvester when there is no one to gather it.”’”
True Wisdom and the Coming Judgment
23 This is what the Lord says: “The wise man is not to boast in his wisdom; the strong man is not to boast in his strength; and the rich man is not to boast in his riches. 24 Rather, let the one who boasts, boast in this: that he understands and knows me, for I am the Lord who acts with gracious love, justice, and righteousness in the land. I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
25 “Look, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh:[g] 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, all those who live in the desert and shave the corners of their beard;[h] indeed all the other[i] nations that are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel that is uncircumcised of heart.”
Peter and John are Tried before the Jewish Council
4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the Temple guards, and the Sadducees came to them. 2 They were greatly disturbed that Peter and John[a] were teaching the people and announcing that Jesus had been resurrected[b] from the dead. 3 So they arrested them and placed them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard their message believed, and the men grew to number about 5,000.
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes met in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,[c] Alexander, and the rest of the high priest’s family. 7 They made Peter and John[d] stand in front of them and began asking, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, told them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being questioned today for a good deed done for someone who was sick or to learn how this man was healed, 10 you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11 He is
‘the stone that was rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.’[e]
12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
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