Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Official
26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.[a](A)) 27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch(B) and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem(C) 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.”(D)
30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will describe his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.[b](E)
34 The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.(F)
36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” [c] 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord(G) carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip appeared in[d] Azotus,[e] and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.(H)
25 I will give praise in the great assembly
because of you;(A)
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear you.[a](B)
26 The humble will eat and be satisfied;(C)
those who seek the Lord will praise him.
May your hearts live forever!(D)
27 All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before you,(E)
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
he rules the nations.(F)
29 All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before him—
even the one who cannot preserve his life.(G)
30 Their descendants will serve him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.(H)
31 They will come and declare his righteousness;
to a people yet to be born
they will declare what he has done.(I)
Knowing God through Love
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God(A) and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us[a] in this way: God sent(B) his one and only Son(C) into the world so that we might live(D) through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(E) and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice[b](F) for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.(G) 12 No one has ever seen God.(H) If we love one another, God remains in[c] us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we remain in him(I) and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(J) 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son(K) as the world’s Savior. 15 Whoever confesses(L) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,(M) because as he is, so also are we in this world.(N) 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,(O) because fear involves punishment.[d] So the one who fears is not complete in love.(P) 19 We love[e] because he first loved us.(Q) 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister,(R) he is a liar.(S) For the person who does not love his brother or sister(T) whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.[f] 21 And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am(A) the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes,(B) and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean(C) because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.(D) 5 I am the vine; (E) you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit,(F) because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside(G) like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire,(H) and they are burned.(I) 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.(J) 8 My Father is glorified(K) by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be[a] my disciples.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.