Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”

Saul among Prophets

10 Then ^(A)Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, ^(B)kissed him and said, “Has not ^(C)the Lord anointed you a ruler over ^(D)His inheritance? ² When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to ^(E)Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘^(F)The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ^[a]ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ ³ Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the ^[b](G)oak of Tabor, and there three men going up ^(H)to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; ⁴ and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand. ⁵ Afterward you will come to ^[c](I)the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet ^(J)a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and ^(K)they will be prophesying. ⁶ Then ^(L)the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and ^(M)you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. ⁷ It shall be when these signs come to you, ^(N)do for yourself what ^[d]the occasion requires, for ^(O)God is with you. ⁸ And ^(P)you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and ^(Q)sacrifice peace offerings. ^(R)You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.”

The Council at Jerusalem

2 Then after an interval of fourteen years I ^(A)went up again to Jerusalem with ^(B)Barnabas, taking ^(C)Titus along also. ^2 [a]It was because of a ^(D)revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the ^(E)gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be ^(F)running, or had run, in vain. ³ But not even ^(G)Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was ^(H)compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ But it was because of the ^(I)false brethren secretly brought in, who ^(J)had sneaked in to spy out our ^(K)liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to ^(L)bring us into bondage. ⁵ But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that ^(M)the truth of the gospel would remain with you. ⁶ But from those who ^[b]were of high ^(N)reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; ^(O)God ^[c]shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, seeing that I had been ^(P)entrusted with the ^(Q)gospel ^[d]to the uncircumcised, just as ^(R)Peter had been ^[e]to the circumcised ⁸ (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his ^(S)apostleship ^[f]to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), ⁹ and recognizing ^(T)the grace that had been given to me, ^[g](U)James and ^(V)Cephas and John, who were ^(W)reputed to be ^(X)pillars, gave to me and ^(Y)Barnabas the ^(Z)right ^[h]hand of fellowship, so that we might ^(AA)go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They only asked us to remember the poor—^(AB)the very thing I also was eager to do.