Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.[a](A) 7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:[b](B) 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man—by what means he was healed— 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing here before you healthy.(C) 11 This Jesus is
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”(E)
Psalm 23
The Good Shepherd
A Davidic psalm.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;(A)
there is nothing I lack.(B)
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;(C)
He leads me beside quiet waters.(D)
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths[a]
for His name’s sake.(E)
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,[b]
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;(F)
Your rod and Your staff[c]—they comfort me.(G)
Love in Action
16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life(A) for us.(B) We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.(C) 17 If anyone has this world’s goods(D) and sees his brother in need(E) but closes his eyes(F) to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?(G)
18 Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.(H) 19 This is how we will know we belong to the truth(I) and will convince our conscience in His presence, 20 even if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience, and He knows all things.(J)
21 Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands(K) and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23 Now this is His command: that we believe in the name(L) of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commands remains in Him,(M) and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us(N) is from the Spirit(O) He has given us.
11 “I am the good shepherd.(A) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(B) 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them[a] and runs away when he sees a wolf(C) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.(D) I lay down My life(E) for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep(F) that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.(G) 17 This is why the Father loves Me,(H) because I am laying down My life(I) so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father.”(J)
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