Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
17 1 Here he complaineth to God of the cruel pride and arrogance of Saul, and the rest of his enemies, who thus raged without any cause given on his part. 6 Therefore he desireth God to revenge his innocence and deliver him.
The prayer of David.
1 Hear [a]the right, O Lord, consider my cry: hearken unto my prayer of lips unfeigned.
2 Let my [b]sentence come forth from thy presence, and let thine eyes behold equity.
3 Thou hast [c]proved and visited mine heart in the night: thou hast tried me, and foundest nothing: for I was purposed that my [d]mouth should not offend.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the [e]words of thy lips I kept me from the paths of the cruel man.
5 Stay my steps in thy paths, that my feet do not slide.
6 I have called upon thee: [f]surely thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear to me, and hearken unto my words.
7 Show thy marvelous mercies: thou that art the Savior of them that trust in thee, from such as [g]resist thy right hand.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir into the country of Edom.
4 To whom he gave commandment, saying, Thus shall ye speak to my [a]lord Esau: thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have been a stranger with Laban, and tarried unto this time.
5 I have beeves also and asses, sheep, and men servants, and women servants, and have sent to show my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
6 ¶ So the messengers came again to Jacob, saying, We came unto thy brother Esau, and he also cometh against thee and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was [b]greatly afraid, and was sore troubled, and divided the people that was with him, and the sheep, and the beeves, and the camels into two companies.
8 For he said, If Esau come to the one company and smite it, the other company shall escape.
9 ¶ Moreover Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Lord, which (A)saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good.
10 I am not [c]worthy of the least of all the mercies, and all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant: for with my [d]staff came I over this Jordan, and now have I gotten two bands.
11 I pray thee, Deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the [e]mother upon the children.
12 And thou saidest, I will surely do to thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 ¶ And he tarried there that same night and took of that which came to hand, a [f]present for Esau his brother:
14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams:
15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bullocks, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
16 So he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves, and said unto his servants, Pass before me, and put a space between drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, If my brother Esau meet thee, and ask thee, saying, Whose servant art thou? And whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s: it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and behold, he himself also is behind us.
19 So likewise commanded he the second and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, After this manner, ye shall speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
20 And ye shall say moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob cometh after us. (for he thought, I [g]will appease his wrath with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face: it may be that he will [h]accept me.)
21 So went the present before him: but he tarried that night with the company.
37 Now when they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the other Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 [a]Then Peter said unto them, Amend your lives, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins: and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost.
39 For the [b]promise is made unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 [c]And with many other words he besought and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this [froward] generation.
41 [d]Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized, and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls.
42 [e]And they continued in the Apostles’ doctrine, and [f]fellowship, and [g]breaking of bread, and prayers.
43 ¶ [h]And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles.
44 [i]And all that believed, were in one place, and had all things common.
45 And they sold their possessions, and goods, and parted them to all men, as everyone had need.
46 [j]And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread at home, did eat their meat together with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and had favor with all the people: and the Lord added to the Church from day to day, such as should be saved.
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