Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [a]Areopagus and said, “Men of (A)Athens, I observe that you are very (B)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (C)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what (D)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (E)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is (F)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (G)dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (H)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (I)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (J)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, (K)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (L)in Him we live and move and [b]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we (M)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 Therefore having (N)overlooked (O)the times of ignorance, God is (P)now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed (Q)a day in which (R)He will judge [c](S)the world in righteousness [d]through a Man whom He has (T)appointed, having furnished proof to all men [e]by (U)raising Him from the dead.”
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And [a](A)sound His praise abroad,
9 Who [b](B)keeps us in life
And (C)does not allow our feet to [c]slip.
10 For You have (D)tried us, O God;
You have (E)refined us as silver is refined.
11 You (F)brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12 You made men (G)ride over our heads;
We went through (H)fire and through water,
Yet You (I)brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall (J)come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall (K)pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was (L)in distress.
15 I shall (M)offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of (N)rams;
I shall make an offering of [d]bulls with male goats. Selah.
16 (O)Come and hear, all who [e]fear God,
And I will (P)tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And [f]He was (Q)extolled with my tongue.
18 If I [g](R)regard wickedness in my heart,
The (S)Lord [h]will not [i]hear;
19 But certainly (T)God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 (U)Blessed be God,
Who (V)has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.
13 (A)Who is [a]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should (B)suffer for the sake of righteousness, (C)you [b]are blessed. (D)And do not fear their [c]intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but [d]sanctify (E)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready (F)to make a [e]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the (G)hope that is in you, yet (H)with gentleness and [f](I)reverence; 16 [g]and keep a (J)good conscience so that in the thing in which (K)you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For (L)it is better, (M)if [h]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For (N)Christ also died for sins (O)once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might (P)bring us to God, having been put to death (Q)in the flesh, but made alive (R)in the [i]spirit; 19 in [j]which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the (S)patience of God (T)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of (U)the ark, in which a few, that is, (V)eight (W)persons, were brought safely through the [k]water. 21 (X)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—(Y)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God [l]for a (Z)good conscience—through (AA)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 (AB)who is at the right hand of God, (AC)having gone into heaven, (AD)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
15 “(A)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Role of the Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [a](B)Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is (C)the Spirit of truth, (D)whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; (E)I will come to you. 19 [b](F)After a little while (G)the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; (H)because I live, you will live also. 20 (I)In that day you will know that (J)I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 (K)He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and (L)he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will (M)disclose Myself to him.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.