Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 145
A Psalm of Praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God and King,
and I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
and I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and His greatness is unfathomable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another
and shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I will speak of the glorious honor of Your majesty
and of Your wondrous works.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways
and loving in all His works.
18 The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him,
to all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and will save them.
20 The Lord preserves all those who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all people bless His holy name
forever and ever.
The Coronation of Joshua
9 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 10 Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah who have come from Babylon, and go on that day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him: Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch; for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord; he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne. He shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 14 And the crown shall be for a memorial to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah, in the temple of the Lord. 15 And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord; and you all shall know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. This shall happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Paul’s Defense Before Felix
10 After the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully defend myself. 11 You may verify that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 They did not find me in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd. 13 They cannot prove the things concerning which they now accuse me. 14 However, I affirm that in accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of my fathers and believe everything written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust, which they also expect. 16 In this do I always strive to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.
17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 when some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a crowd nor an uproar. 19 They ought to be here before you to accuse me if they have any charges. 20 Or let these men say what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, 21 unless it is concerning this one statement which I cried out while standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead, I am being judged by you this day.’ ”
22 When Felix, who had more exact knowledge concerning the Way, had heard this, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander arrives, I will decide your case.” 23 Then he ordered the centurion to guard Paul, and to let him have liberty, and to forbid none of his own people from attending to him.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.