Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
11 Malicious people bring charges against me.
They ask me things I know nothing about.
12 I am devastated
because they pay me back with evil instead of good.
13 But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth.
I humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayer returned unanswered,
14 I walked around as if I were mourning for my friend or my brother.
I was bent over as if I were mourning for my mother.
15 Yet, when I stumbled,
they rejoiced and gathered together.
They gathered together against me.
Unknown attackers tore me apart without stopping.
16 With crude and abusive mockers,
they grit their teeth at me.
17 O Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue me from their attacks.
Rescue my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give you thanks in a large gathering.
I will praise you in a crowd ⌞of worshipers⌟.
19 Do not let my treacherous enemies gloat over me.
Do not let those who hate me for no reason wink ⌞at me⌟.
20 They do not talk about peace.
Instead, they scheme against the peaceful people in the land.
21 They open their big mouths and say about me,
“Aha! Aha! Our own eyes have seen it.”
22 You have seen it, O Lord.
Do not remain silent.
O Lord, do not be so far away from me.
23 Wake up, and rise to my defense.
Plead my case, O my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me by your righteousness, O Lord my God.
Do not let them gloat over me
25 or think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let those who gloat over my downfall
be thoroughly put to shame and confused.
Let those who promote themselves at my expense
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 Let those who are happy when I am declared innocent
joyfully sing and rejoice.
Let them continually say, “The Lord is great.
He is happy when his servant has peace.”
28 Then my tongue will tell about your righteousness,
about your praise all day long.
Rules about the Day of Rest
35 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a holy day of rest, a day when you don’t work. It is dedicated to the Lord. Whoever does any work on this day should be put to death. 3 Never light a fire in any of your homes on this day of rest.”
The People Contribute Their Wealth(A)
4 Then Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 Choose something of your own to give as a special contribution to the Lord. Let everyone who is willing bring this kind of contribution to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze, 6 violet, purple, and bright red yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, 7 rams’ skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, 8 olive oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet-smelling incense, 9 onyx stones, and other precious stones to be set in the ⌞chief priest’s⌟ ephod [a] and breastplate.
The Craftsmen for the Tent(B)
10 “Have all the skilled craftsmen among you come and make everything the Lord has commanded: 11 the inner tent, the outer tent, and cover, along with the fasteners, frames, crossbars, posts, and sockets, 12 the ark with its poles, the throne of mercy and the canopy over it, 13 the table with its poles, all the dishes, the bread of the presence, 14 the lamp stand used for the light with its utensils, its lamps and the olive oil for the lamps, 15 the altar for incense with its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet-smelling incense, the screen for the entrance to the tent, 16 the altar for burnt offerings with its bronze grate, its poles, and all its accessories, the basin with its stand, 17 the curtains for the courtyard, the posts, bases, and the screen for the entrance to the courtyard, 18 the pegs for the tent and the courtyard with their ropes, 19 the special clothes worn for official duties in the holy place—both the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests.”
20 Then the whole Israelite community left Moses. 21 Those who were willing and whose hearts moved them came and brought their contributions to the Lord. The gifts were used to construct the tent of meeting, to pay other expenses, and to make the holy clothes. 22 All who were willing—men and women alike—came and brought all kinds of gold jewelry: pins, earrings, signet rings, and pendants. They took these gifts of gold and offered them to the Lord. 23 Those who had violet, purple, or bright red yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, or fine leather brought them. 24 Those who could give silver or bronze brought it as their contribution to the Lord. Those who had acacia wood that could be used in the construction brought it. 25 All the women who were skilled in spinning yarn brought violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine linen, which they had made by hand. 26 All the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other precious stones to be set in the ⌞chief priest’s⌟ ephod and breastplate. 28 They also brought the spices and the olive oil for the lamps, the anointing oil, and the sweet-smelling incense. 29 Every Israelite man and woman who was willing brought all these items to the Lord as a freewill offering. They brought these items to be used to make everything the Lord had commanded through Moses.
Peter Has a Vision
9 Around noon the next day, while Cornelius’ men were on their way and coming close to Joppa, Peter went on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat. While the food was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open and something like a large linen sheet being lowered by its four corners to the ground. 12 In the sheet were all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds.
13 A voice told him, “Get up, Peter! Kill these animals, and eat them.”
14 Peter answered, “I can’t do that, Lord! I’ve never eaten anything that is impure or unclean.” [a]
15 A voice spoke to him a second time, “Don’t say that the things which God has made clean [b] are impure.”
16 This happened three times. Then the sheet was quickly taken into the sky.
17 While Peter was puzzled by the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and went to the gate. 18 They asked if Simon Peter was staying there. 19 Peter was still thinking about the vision when the Spirit said to him, “Three men are looking for you. 20 Get up, and go downstairs. Don’t hesitate to go with these men. I have sent them.”
21 So Peter went to the men. He said, “I’m the man you’re looking for. Why are you here?”
22 The men replied, “Cornelius, a Roman army officer, sent us. He’s a man who has God’s approval and who respects God. Also, the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to summon you to his home to hear what you have to say.”
23 Peter asked the men to come into the house and had them stay overnight.
Peter Speaks with Cornelius
The next day Peter left with them. Some disciples from Joppa went along.
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