Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
16 And it happened that as[a] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination[b] met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners by[c] fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us and[d] was crying out, saying, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” 18 And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed and turning around, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out immediately.[e]
19 But when[f] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and[g] dragged them[h] into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they[i] had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, because we[j] are Romans!” 22 And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing and[k] gave orders to beat them[l] with rods. 23 And after they[m] had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them[n] into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Having received such an order, he[o] put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.[p]
The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer
25 Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and[q] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds[r] were unfastened. 27 And after[s] the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his[t] sword and[u] was about to kill himself, because he[v] thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And demanding lights, he rushed in and, beginning to tremble,[w] fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them outside and[x] said, “Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!” 32 And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them at that very hour of the night and[y] washed their[z] wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his household.[aa] 34 And he brought them up into his[ab] house and[ac] set a meal before them,[ad] and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.
Yahweh’s Glorious Reign
97 Yahweh is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let many coastlands be glad.
2 Cloud and thick darkness are surrounding him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him,
and devours his enemies round about.
4 His lightnings light the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh,
at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7 Let all who serve an image be ashamed,
those who boast about idols.[a]
Worship him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments, O Yahweh.
9 For you, O Yahweh, are most high over all the earth.
You are highly[b] exalted above all gods.
10 You who love Yahweh, hate evil.
He protects the lives of his faithful;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name.[c]
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are! 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates.
16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
An Invitation to Respond
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And the one who hears, let him say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty, let him come. The one who wants, let him take the water of life freely.[a]
20 The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.[a]
Jesus Prays for the Unity of Believers
20 “And I do not ask on behalf of these only, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, 21 that they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us, in order that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And the glory that you have given to me, I have given to them, in order that they may be one, just as we are one— 23 I in them, and you in me, in order that they may be completed in one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.
24 “Father, those whom you have given to me—I want that those also may be with me where I am, in order that they may see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, although the world does not know you, yet I have known you, and these men have come to know that you sent me. 26 And I made known to them your name, and will make it[a] known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I may be in them.”
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