Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 27

My Stronghold

Davidic.

²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the attendant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the attendant went on.

10 Samuel took the flask of oil,^(A) poured it out on Saul’s head,^(B) kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t the Lord anointed you^(C) ruler over His inheritance?^{[a](D) 2} Today when you leave me, you’ll find two men at Rachel’s Grave^(E) at Zelzah in the land of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went looking for have been found,^(F) and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son?’

³ “You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor.^(G) Three men going up to God at Bethel^(H) will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a skin of wine. ⁴ They will ask how you are and give you two loaves^[b] of bread, which you will accept from them.

⁵ “After that you will come to the Hill of God^[c](I) where there are Philistine garrisons.^[d] When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets^(J) coming down from the high place prophesying.^(K) They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres. ⁶ The Spirit of the Lord will control you,^(L) you will prophesy with them,^(M) and you will be transformed into a different person.^{(N) 7} When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require^[e](O) because God is with you. ⁸ Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”

Paul Defends His Gospel at Jerusalem

2 Then after 14 years I went up again^(A) to Jerusalem with Barnabas,^(B) taking Titus^(C) along also. ² I went up according to a revelation^(D) and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles—but privately to those recognized as leaders—so that I might not be running, or have run the race, in vain. ³ But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ This issue arose because of false brothers^(E) smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. ⁵ But we did not give up and submit to these people for even an hour, so that the truth^(F) of the gospel would be preserved for you.

⁶ Now from those recognized as important (what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism^[a](G))—they added nothing to me. ⁷ On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised,^(H) just as Peter^(I) was for the circumcised, ⁸ since the One at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. ⁹ When James,^(J) Cephas,^(K) and John,^(L) recognized as pillars,^(M) acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They asked only that we would remember the poor,^(N) which I made every effort to do.