Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

³ So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning^(A) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid^(B) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths^(C) and commit^(D) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,^(E) and he will deliver^(F) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

⁵ Then Samuel^(G) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,^(H) and I will intercede^(I) with the Lord for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah,^(J) they drew water and poured^(K) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^[a](L) of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid^(M) because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying^(N) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel^(O) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(P)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(Q) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(R) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(S) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[b](T) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(U) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. ¹⁴ The towns from Ekron^(V) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.^(W)

¹⁵ Samuel^(X) continued as Israel’s leader^(Y) all^(Z) the days of his life. ¹⁶ From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel^(AA) to Gilgal^(AB) to Mizpah, judging^(AC) Israel in all those places. ¹⁷ But he always went back to Ramah,^(AD) where his home was, and there he also held court^(AE) for Israel. And he built an altar^(AF) there to the Lord.

¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(A) in Damascus.^{(B) 20} At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(C) that Jesus is the Son of God.^{(D) 21} All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?^(E) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^{(F) 22} Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(G)

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^{(H) 24} but Saul learned of their plan.^(I) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(J)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(K) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas^(L) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(M) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^{(N) 28} So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a](O) but they tried to kill him.^{(P) 30} When the believers^(Q) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(R) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(S)

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(T) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(U)