Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for the Nation’s Good

85 O Lord, You showed favor to Your land. You have returned those of Jacob who were taken away. ² You have forgiven the sins of Your people. You have covered all their sin. ³ You have taken away all Your anger. You have turned away from Your burning anger.

⁴ O God Who saves us, give us life again. Make Your anger toward us stop. ⁵ Will You be angry with us forever? Will You spread out Your anger to families of all times? ⁶ Will You not bring us back to life again so that Your people may be happy in You? ⁷ Show us Your loving-kindness, O Lord, and save us.

⁸ I will listen to what God the Lord will say. For He will speak peace to His people, to those who are right with Him. But do not let them turn again to foolish things. ⁹ For sure His saving power is near those who fear Him, so His shining-greatness may live in the land. ¹⁰ Loving-kindness and truth have met together. Peace and what is right and good have kissed each other. ¹¹ Truth comes up from the earth. And what is right and good looks down from heaven. ¹² Yes, the Lord will give what is good. And our land will give its fruit. ¹³ What is right and good will go before Him and make a way for His steps.

The Lord Will Judge Israel and Judah

5 “Hear this, O religious leaders! Listen, O people of Israel! Listen, O family of the king! For you are to be judged. You have been a trap at Mizpah, and a net spread out on Tabor. ² Those who will not obey have gone deep into sin, but I will punish all of them. ³ I know all about Ephraim. Israel is not hidden from Me. O Ephraim, you have acted like a woman who sells the use of her body. Israel has made itself unclean. ⁴ Their wrong-doing will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of a woman who sells the use of her body is within them, and they do not know the Lord. ⁵ The pride of Israel speaks against them. Israel and Ephraim fall in their sin, and Judah has fallen with them. ⁶ They will go with their flocks and cattle to look for the Lord, but they will not find Him. He has gone away from them. ⁷ They have not been faithful to the Lord, for they have given birth to children who are not His. Now the new moon will destroy them with their land.

War between Judah and Israel

⁸ “Blow the horn in Gibeah and in Ramah! Let the sound of danger be heard at Beth-aven! Look behind you, Benjamin! ⁹ Ephraim will be laid waste in the day of punishment. Among the family groups of Israel I make known what is sure. ¹⁰ The leaders of Judah are like those who take away the land-marks. I will pour out My anger on them like water. ¹¹ It is hard for Ephraim. He is crushed by punishment, because he wanted to follow what is of no worth. ¹² So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like a wasting disease to the people of Judah. ¹³ When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his sore, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb for help. But he is not able to cure you, or heal your sore. ¹⁴ For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the people of Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away. I will carry them away, with no one to take them. ¹⁵ I will go away and return to My place until they know they are guilty and look for Me. In their suffering they will try to find Me.”

Peter Preaches—Jesus Shows Who He Is by What He Did

²² “Jewish men, listen to what I have to say! You knew Jesus of the town of Nazareth by the powerful works He did. God worked through Jesus while He was with you. You all know this. ²³ Jesus was handed over to sinful men. God knew this and planned for it to happen. You had sinful men take Him and nail Him to a cross. ²⁴ But God raised Him up. He allowed Him to be set free from the pain of death. Death could not hold its power over Him.

Peter Preaches—Jesus Shows Who He Is by What He Said

²⁵ “David said this about Him, ‘I can see the Lord before me all the time. He is at my right side so that I do not need to be troubled. ²⁶ I am glad and my tongue is full of joy. My body rests in hope. ²⁷ You will not leave my soul in death. You will not allow Your Holy One to be destroyed. ²⁸ You have shown me the ways of life. I will be full of joy when I see Your face.’ ^(A)

²⁹ “Brothers, I can tell you in plain words that our early father David not only died but was buried. We know where his grave is today. ³⁰ He was one who spoke for God. He knew God had made a promise to him. From his family Christ would come and take His place as King. ³¹ He knew this before and spoke of Christ being raised from the dead. Christ’s soul would not be left in hell. His body would not be destroyed. ³² Jesus is this One! God has raised Him up and we have all seen Him.

³³ “This Jesus has been lifted up to God’s right side. The Holy Spirit was promised by the Father. God has given Him to us. That is what you are seeing and hearing now! ³⁴ It was not David who was taken up to heaven, because he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right side, ³⁵ for those who hate You will be a place to rest Your feet.”’ ^{(B) 36} The whole Jewish nation must know for sure that God has made this Jesus, both Lord and Christ. He is the One you nailed to a cross!”