Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
31 Lord, I trust in you alone. Don’t let my enemies defeat me. Rescue me because you are the God who always does what is right. 2 Answer quickly when I cry to you; bend low and hear my whispered plea.[a] Be for me a great Rock of safety from my foes. 3 Yes, you are my Rock and my fortress; honor your name by leading me out of this peril. 4 Pull me from the trap my enemies have set for me. For you alone are strong enough.[b] 5-6 Into your hand I commit my spirit.
You have rescued me, O God who keeps his promises. I worship only you; how you hate all those who worship idols, those imitation gods.
14-15 But I am trusting you, O Lord. I said, “You alone are my God; my times are in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. 16 Let your favor shine again upon your servant; save me just because you are so kind!
12 God had told Abram, “Leave your own country behind you, and your own people, and go to the land I will guide you to. 2 If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation; I will bless you and make your name famous, and you will be a blessing to many others.[a] 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you.”[b]
8 Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit’s power,[a] did spectacular miracles among the people.
9 But one day some of the men from the Jewish cult of “The Freedmen” started an argument with him, and they were soon joined by Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria in Egypt, and the Turkish provinces of Cilicia, and Asia Minor. 10 But none of them was able to stand against Stephen’s wisdom and spirit.
11 So they brought in some men to lie about him, claiming they had heard Stephen curse Moses, and even God.
12 This accusation roused the crowds to fury against Stephen, and the Jewish leaders[b] arrested him and brought him before the Council. 13 The lying witnesses testified again that Stephen was constantly speaking against the Temple and against the laws of Moses.
14 They declared, “We have heard him say that this fellow Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and throw out all of Moses’ laws.” 15 At this point everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.