Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
11 People come telling lies. They ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They pay me what is bad in return for what is good. My soul is sad. 13 But when they were sick, I put on clothes made from hair. With no pride in my soul, I would not eat. And I prayed with my head on my chest. 14 I went about as if it were my friend or brother. I put my head down in sorrow, like one crying for his mother. 15 But when I would fall, they would gather together in joy. Those who say things to hurt people would gather against me. I did not know them. They spoke against me without stopping. 16 They ground their teeth at me like bad people making fun of others at a special supper.
17 Lord, how long will You look on? Save me from being destroyed by them. Save my life from the lions. 18 I will give You thanks in the big meeting. I will praise You among many people. 19 Do not let those who hate me for no reason stand over me with joy. Do not let those who hate me for no reason wink their eye. 20 They do not speak peace. But they make up lies against those who are quiet in the land. 21 And they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “O, O, our eyes have seen it.”
22 You have seen it, O Lord. Do not keep quiet. O Lord, do not be far from me. 23 Awake Yourself. Come and help me. Fight for me, my God and my Lord. 24 Say what is right or wrong with me, O Lord my God, because You are right and good. Do not let them have joy over me. 25 Do not let them say in their heart, “O, just what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” 26 Let all who are happy because of my trouble be ashamed and without honor. Let those who think they are better than I, be covered with shame and without honor.
27 Let them call out for joy and be glad, who want to see the right thing done for me. Let them always say, “May the Lord be honored. He is pleased when all is going well for His servant.” 28 And my tongue will tell about how right and good You are, and about Your praise all day long.
The Seventh Day—a Holy Day
35 Then Moses gathered together all the people of Israel, saying, “These are the things that the Lord has told you to do. 2 Work may be done for six days. But the seventh day will be a holy day for you, a Day of Rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on this day will be put to death. 3 Do not make a fire in any of your tents on the Day of Rest.”
Gifts for the Meeting Tent
4 Moses said to all the people of Israel, “This is what the Lord has told you to do. 5 Take from among you a gift to the Lord. Whoever has a willing heart, let him bring the Lord’s gift: gold, silver and brass, 6 and blue, purple and red cloth, fine linen, cloth made from goat hair, 7 rams’ skins made red, badgers’ skins and acacia wood, 8 lamp oil, spices for the oil for holy use and for the sweet-smelling perfume, 9 onyx stones and stones to be set for the linen vest and the breast-piece.
Parts of the Meeting Tent
10 “Let every able workman among you come and make all that the Lord has told us to make: 11 the meeting tent, its tent and its covering, its hooks, its wood pieces, its cross-pieces, its pillars and their bases, 12 the special box of the agreement and the long pieces of wood for carrying it, the mercy-seat, the curtain to hang in front of it, 13 the table and the long pieces of wood for carrying it, all its objects, and the holy bread to set before the Lord. 14 Also the able workmen are to make: the lamp-stand for the light, and its lamps and oil for the light, 15 the altar of special perfume and the long pieces of wood for carrying it, the oil for holy use, the sweet-smelling perfume, and the curtain for the door of the meeting tent. 16 Also they are to make: the altar of burnt gifts with its brass net and long pieces of wood for carrying it, all its objects, the washing pot and its base, 17 the curtains of the open space, its pillars and its bases, and the curtain for the gate of the open space. 18 Also the able workmen are to make: the nails of the meeting tent and the nails of the open space and their ropes, 19 the well-made clothing for working in the holy place, the holy clothing for Aaron the religious leader, and the clothing for his sons as they work as religious leaders.”
People Bring Their Gifts
20 Then all the people of Israel went away from Moses. 21 And every one whose heart or spirit moved him brought the Lord’s gift to be used for the meeting tent, for all its work, and for the holy clothing. 22 Then all the men and women who wanted to give brought objects of gold that had been worn on their clothing, ears, fingers and arms. Every man gave a gift of gold to the Lord. 23 And every one who had blue, purple and red cloth, fine linen, cloth made from goats’ hair, rams’ skins made red, and badgers’ skins, brought them. 24 Every one who could give a gift of silver or brass brought it as a gift to the Lord. Every one who had acacia wood to be used for the work, brought it. 25 All the able women made cloth with their hands. They brought the blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen they had made. 26 All the able women whose hearts moved them made cloth from goat hair. 27 The leaders brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the linen vest and the breast-piece, 28 and the spice and the oil for the light, and the oil for holy use, and for the sweet-smelling perfume. 29 The people of Israel who wanted to brought gifts to the Lord. Every man and woman, whose heart moved them, brought what the Lord had told them through Moses.
Peter’s Dream
9 The next day they went on their way. About noon they were coming near the town. At this time Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became very hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were getting food ready to eat, he saw in a dream things God wanted him to see. 11 He saw heaven open up and something like a large linen cloth being let down to earth by the four corners. 12 On the cloth were all kinds of four-footed animals and snakes of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill something and eat it.” 14 Peter said, “No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that our Law says is unclean.” 15 The voice said the second time, “What God has made clean you must not say is unclean.” 16 This happened three times. Then it was taken back to heaven.
Cornelius’ Men Find Peter
17 Peter thought about the meaning of the dream. The men that Cornelius had sent came. They were standing by the gate asking about Simon’s house. 18 They called to ask if Simon Peter was staying there.
19 Peter was still thinking about the dream when the Holy Spirit said to him, “See, three men are looking for you. 20 Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not doubt if you should go, because I sent them.” 21 Peter went down to the men who had been sent by Cornelius. He said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius sent us. He is a captain and a good man and he honors God. The whole Jewish nation can say this is true. An angel from God told him to send for you. He asks you to come to his house. He wants to hear what you have to say.”
Peter Goes to Cornelius
23 Peter asked them to come in and stay with him for the night. The next day he went with them. Some of the brothers from Joppa went along.
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