); Wisdom 4:7-15 (The righteous are rewarded); Acts 7:59—8:8 (Stephen is stoned to death) (Jubilee Bible 2000)
Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
1 ¶ Halelu-JAH. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
2 Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts.
3 Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light.
4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that are above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD; for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He has established them for ever and ever: he has made a law which shall not be broken.
7 ¶ Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps,
8 fire and hail; snow and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word,
9 mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars,
10 beasts and all animals; creeping things and flying fowl,
11 kings of the earth and all the peoples, princes and all judges of the earth,
12 both young men and maidens, the old with the children,
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD; for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above earth and heavens.
He
14 has exalted the horn of his people; let all his merciful ones praise him; even of the sons of Israel, the people near unto him. Halelu-JAH.
59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, impute not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
8 ¶ And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the congregation; {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} entering into the houses and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.
4 ¶ But those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word of the gospel.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did.
7 For many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of those who were possessed with them, and many paralytics and that were lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
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