Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 So the Lord became angry with his people.
He turned away from his own children.
41 He handed them over to the nations.
Their enemies ruled over them.
42 Their enemies treated them badly
and kept them under their power.
43 Many times the Lord saved them.
But they refused to obey him.
So he destroyed them because of their sins.
44 Yet he heard them when they cried out.
He paid special attention to their suffering.
45 Because they were his people, he remembered his covenant.
Because of his great love, he felt sorry for them.
46 He made all those who held them as prisoners
have mercy on them.
47 Lord our God, save us.
Bring us back from among the nations.
Then we will give thanks to you, because your name is holy.
We will celebrate by praising you.
48 Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel,
for ever and ever.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord.
12 Who is wise enough to understand these things? Who has been taught by the Lord? Who can explain them? Why has the land been destroyed so completely? Why has it become like a desert that no one can go across?
13 The Lord answered me, “Because my people have turned away from my law. I gave it to them. But they have not kept it. They have not obeyed me. 14 Instead, they have done what their stubborn hearts wanted them to do. They have worshiped the gods that are named Baal. They have done what their people have taught them to do through the years.” 15 So now the Lord who rules over all speaks. He is the God of Israel. He says, “I will make these people eat bitter food. I will make them drink poisoned water. 16 I will scatter them among the nations. They and their people before them didn’t know about these nations. With swords I will chase these people. I will hunt them down until I have destroyed them.”
17 The Lord rules over all. He says,
“Here is something I want you to think about.
Send for the women who mourn for the dead.
Send for the most skilled among them.”
18 Let them come quickly
and weep for us.
Let them cry until tears flow from our eyes.
Let them weep until water pours out of our eyes.
19 People are heard weeping in Zion.
They are saying, “We are destroyed!
We are filled with shame!
We must leave our land.
Our houses have been torn down.”
20 You women, hear the Lord’s message.
Listen to what he’s saying.
Teach your daughters how to mourn for the dead.
Teach one another a song of sadness.
21 Death has climbed in through our windows.
It has entered our forts.
Death has removed the children from the streets.
It has taken the young men out of the market.
22 Say, “The Lord announces,
“ ‘Dead bodies will be like human waste
lying in the open fields.
They will lie there like grain
that is cut down at harvest time.
No one will gather them up.’ ”
23 The Lord says,
“Do not let wise people brag about how wise they are.
Do not let strong people boast about how strong they are.
Do not let rich people brag about how rich they are.
24 But here is what the one who brags should boast about.
They should brag that they have the understanding to know me.
I want them to know that I am the Lord.
No matter what I do on earth, I am always kind, fair and right.
And I take delight in this,”
announces the Lord.
25 “The days are coming when I will judge people,” announces the Lord. “I will punish all those who are circumcised only in their bodies. 26 That includes the people of Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon and Moab. It also includes all those who live in the desert in places far away. None of the people in these nations is really circumcised. And not even the people of Israel are circumcised in their hearts.”
Peter and John Are Taken to the Sanhedrin
4 Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles. 2 They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that people can be raised from the dead. They said this can happen because Jesus rose from the dead. 3 So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. “By what power did you do this?” they asked. “And through whose name?”
8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed? 10 Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you. 11 Scripture says that Jesus is
“ ‘the stone you builders did not accept.
But it has become the most important stone of all.’ (Psalm 118:22)
12 You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”
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