Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for Help in Time of Trouble
17 Hear what is right, O Lord. Listen to my cry. Hear my prayer, for it does not come from lying lips. 2 May You decide in my favor. May Your eyes see what is right. 3 You have tested my heart. You have visited me during the night. You have tested me and have found nothing wrong. I have decided that my mouth will not sin. 4 As for the actions of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of those who want to hurt others. 5 My steps have followed Your paths. My feet have not turned from them.
6 I have called to You, O God, for You will answer me. Listen to me and hear my words. 7 Show Your great loving-kindness. You save by Your right hand the people that come to You for help from those who hate them.
15 As for me, I will see Your face in what is right and good. I will be happy to see You when I awake.
3 Jacob sent men to carry news before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He told them, “Say this to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, “I have been living with Laban, and stayed there until now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys and flocks and men and women servants. And I have sent to tell my lord, hoping to find favor in your eyes.’” 6 The men that carried the news returned to Jacob and said, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
7 Then Jacob was afraid and troubled. And he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and cattle and camels, into two groups. 8 For he said, “If Esau comes to the one group and destroys it, then the other group will get away.” 9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, Who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to those of your family, and I will bring good to you.’ 10 I have not earned any of the loving-kindness and faith which You have shown to your servant. For I had crossed this Jordan with only my walking stick. And now I have become two large groups. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the power of Esau. For I am afraid of him. I am afraid he will come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. 12 But You said, ‘I will bring good to you. I will make your children like the sand of the sea. There will be too many to number.’”
13 So Jacob stayed there that night. Then he chose a gift from what he had for his brother Esau: 14 Two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep, twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels and their young ones, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He put them into the care of his servants, every group of animals by itself. Then he said to his servants, “Go in front of me. And keep the groups of animals apart.” 17 He told the one in front, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns these animals in front of you?’ 18 then you say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob. It is a gift sent to my lord Esau. And he is coming behind us.’” 19 He also told the second and the third and all those who followed the animals, “This is what you are to say to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he said, “I will take away his anger with the gift that goes in front of me. Then when I meet him, he might receive me.” 21 So the gift went in front of him, while he stayed that night in the tent.
They Ask Peter What They Should Do
37 When the Jews heard this, their hearts were troubled. They said to Peter and to the other missionaries, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Be sorry for your sins and turn from them and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you and your children. It is to all people everywhere. It is to as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 He said many other things. He helped them understand that they should keep themselves from the sinful people of this day. 41 Those who believed what he said were baptized. There were about 3,000 more followers added that day.
The First Church
42 They were faithful in listening to the teaching of the missionaries. They worshiped and prayed and ate the Lord’s supper together. 43 Many powerful works were done by the missionaries. Surprise and fear came on them all. 44 All those who put their trust in Christ were together and shared what they owned. 45 As anyone had need, they sold what they owned and shared with everyone. 46 Day after day they went to the house of God together. In their houses they ate their food together. Their hearts were happy. 47 They gave thanks to God and all the people respected them. The Lord added to the group each day those who were being saved from the punishment of sin.
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