Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
24 God, people have seen your victory ·march [procession];
God my King marched into the holy place [C the Tabernacle].
25 The singers are in front and the ·instruments [musicians] are behind.
In the middle are the girls with the tambourines.
26 ·Praise [Bless] God in the ·meeting place [assembly];
·praise [bless] the Lord ·in the gathering [or the fountain] of Israel.
27 There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, ·leading them [L bringing them down].
And there are the ·leaders [princes] of Judah with their group.
There also are the ·leaders [princes] of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28 God, ·order up [command] your power;
show the mighty power you have used for us before.
29 Kings will bring their ·wealth [L presents; gifts] to you,
·to [or because of] your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 ·Punish [Reprimand; Rebuke] the beast in the ·tall grass along the river [L reed; C crocodile or hippopotamus representing Egypt].
·Punish [Reprimand; Rebuke] ·those bulls among the cows [L the herd of bulls among the calves of the peoples; C leaders of other nations].
·Defeated [Trampled], they will bring you their silver.
Scatter those ·nations [peoples] that ·love [delight in] war.
31 Messengers will come from Egypt;
the people of ·Cush [Ethiopia] will ·pray [L stretch their hands] to God.
32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
·sing praises [make a psalm] to the Lord. ·
33 Sing to the one who rides through the ·skies [heavens], ·which are from long ago [the ancient heavens; v. 4].
He ·speaks with a thundering voice [L puts forth his voice, his strong voice].
34 ·Announce [Ascribe] that God is ·powerful [strong].
·He rules [L His majesty is] over Israel,
and his power is in the ·skies [clouds].
35 God, you are ·wonderful [awesome] in your ·Temple [sanctuary; L Holy Place].
The God of Israel gives his people strength and power.
·Praise [Bless] God!
12 Then Abner sent messengers to ask David [L on his own behalf; or at his place], “·Who is going to rule the land [L Whose land is it]? Make an ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with me, and ·I will help you unite [L my hand will be with you to bring over to you] all Israel.”
13 David answered, “Good! I will make an ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with you, but I ·ask [demand/require of] you one thing. I will not ·meet with you [L allow you to see my face/in my presence] unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal to me [L when you come; C to strengthen his claim to the throne; 1 Sam. 18:26–29].” 14 Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth, saying, “Give me my wife Michal. She was ·promised [engaged; betrothed] to me, ·and I killed a hundred Philistines to get her [L for one hundred Philistine foreskins].”
15 So Ish-Bosheth sent men to take Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Michal’s husband went with her, crying as he followed her ·to [as far as] Bahurim. But Abner said to Paltiel, “Go back home.” So he went home.
12 In the morning ·some of Paul’s Jewish opponents [L the Jews] ·made a plan [entered a conspiracy] to kill Paul, and they took an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed him. 13 There were more than forty men who ·made this plan [formed this conspiracy]. 14 They went to the ·leading [T chief] priests and the elders and said, “We have ·taken [sworn] an oath not to ·eat or drink [L taste anything] until we have killed Paul. 15 So [L now] this is what we want you [L together with the Sanhedrin] to do: Send a message to the ·commander [tribune] to bring Paul out to you as though you want to ·ask him more questions [L determine more accurately the facts of his case]. We will be waiting to kill him ·while he is on the way [before he arrives] here.”
16 But ·Paul’s nephew [L the son of Paul’s sister] heard about this ·plan [plot; L ambush plan] and went to the ·army building [barracks] and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the ·officers [centurions] and said, “Take this young man to the ·commander [tribune]. [L For] He has ·a message for him [L something to report to him].”
18 So ·the officer [L he] brought ·Paul’s nephew [L him] to the ·commander [tribune] and said, “The prisoner, Paul, [L called me over and] asked me to bring this young man to you. He wants to tell you something.”
19 The ·commander [tribune] took the young man’s hand and led him to a place where they could be alone. He asked, “What do you ·want to tell [have to report to] me?”
20 ·The young man [L He] said, “The Jews have ·decided [conspired; agreed] to ask you to bring Paul down to ·their council meeting [the Sanhedrin] tomorrow. They want you to think they are going to ·ask him more questions [L inquire more accurately concerning him]. 21 But don’t ·believe [be persuaded by] them! [L Because] More than forty men are ·hiding and waiting to kill Paul [L waiting in ambush for him]. They have all taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are [L ready,] waiting for you to agree.”
22 [L Therefore] The ·commander [tribune] sent the young man away, ordering him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have ·told [revealed to] me ·about their plan [L these things].”
Paul Is Sent to Caesarea
23 Then ·the commander [L he] called two ·officers [centurions] and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred men with spears to leave for Caesarea at ·nine o’clock tonight [L at the third hour of the night; C night begins about 6 PM]. 24 Get ·some horses [mounts; L animals] for Paul to ride so he can be taken to Governor Felix [C held office from ad 52–59] safely.” 25 And he wrote a letter ·that said [of this kind; to this effect; L possessing this type/pattern]:
26 From Claudius Lysias.
To the Most Excellent Governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 Some of the Jews had ·taken [seized] this man and ·planned [were about] to kill him. But I learned that he is a Roman citizen, so I went with my soldiers and ·saved [rescued] him. 28 I wanted to know ·why [L the charge/reason] they were accusing him, so I brought him before their ·council meeting [Sanhedrin]. 29 I ·learned [L found; discovered] that the accusation had to do with ·questions [debates; disputed matters] about their own law [C the law of Moses], but no charge was worthy of death or ·jail [chains]. 30 When I was ·told [informed] that ·some of them were planning to kill Paul [L there was a plot against the man], I sent him to you at once. I also ·told [ordered] ·them [L his accusers] to tell you what they have against him.
31 So the soldiers ·did what they were told [followed orders] and took Paul and brought him to the city of Antipatris [C city 40 miles from Jerusalem and 25 miles from Caesarea] that night. 32 The next day the horsemen ·went [were sent] with ·Paul to Caesarea [L him], but the other soldiers went back to the ·army building in Jerusalem [L barracks]. 33 When ·the horsemen [L they] came to Caesarea and ·gave [delivered] the letter to the governor, they turned Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked Paul, “What ·area [province] are you from?” When he learned that Paul was from Cilicia [9:11], 35 he said, “I will hear your case when ·those who are against you [your accusers] come here, too.” Then the governor gave orders for Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s ·palace [headquarters; Praetorium].
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