Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Song of Praise
145 I will praise You, my God and King. I will honor Your name forever and ever. 2 I will honor You every day, and praise Your name forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and our praise to Him should be great. He is too great for anyone to understand. 4 Families of this time will praise Your works to the families-to-come. They will tell about Your powerful acts. 5 I will think about the shining-greatness of Your power and about Your great works.
17 The Lord is right and good in all His ways, and kind in all His works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. 19 He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The Lord takes care of all who love Him. But He will destroy all the sinful. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. And all flesh will honor His holy name forever and ever.
The Crown on Joshua
9 The Word of the Lord came to me saying, 10 “Take the gifts from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have returned from Babylon. And go the same 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 head religious leader. 12 Then tell him, ‘The Lord of All says, “See, the man whose name is the Branch, for He will branch out from where He is. And He will build the house of the Lord. 13 Yes, He is the One Who will build the house of the Lord. He will be honored as King, and sit and rule on His throne. And He will be a religious leader on His throne, and there will be peace between the two.”’ 14 The crown will be in the Lord’s house, that people may remember Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 Those who are far away will come to build the house of the Lord. Then you will know that the Lord of All has sent me to you. This will happen if you are careful to obey the Lord your God.”
Paul Speaks for Himself the First Time
10 Then Felix, the leader of the people, told Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know that you have been a leader of this nation for many years. I am happy to be able to speak for myself. 11 Not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. You can find out about this yourself. 12 I did not argue with anyone in the house of God or in the Jewish places of worship or in the city. I was not making trouble. 13 They cannot prove any of these things they say against me.
14 “I will say this, I worship the God of our fathers in the new Way. They say it is a false way. But I believe everything that has been written in the Law and by the early preachers. 15 I trust God for the same things they are looking for. I am looking for the dead to rise, both those right with God and the sinful. 16 I always try to live so my own heart tells me I am not guilty before God or man.
17 “After a few years I came to bring gifts of money to the people of my country (Jerusalem). 18 Some Jews from the countries of Asia found me in the house of God after I had gone through the worship of washing. There were no people around me and there was no noise or fighting. 19 They should be here if they have anything against me. 20 Or let these men tell what wrong they found in me as I stood in front of their court, 21 unless it was the words I cried out as I stood in front of them. I said, ‘I have been brought in front of this court because of the hope of being raised from the dead.’”
Felix Waits for Lysias to Come
22 Felix knew about the Christian religion. He stopped the court, saying, “When Lysias the captain comes down, I will decide about this.” 23 He told the soldier to watch Paul, but to let him come and go as much as he wanted to. Paul’s friends were to be able to come and care for him.
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