); Wisdom 4:7-15 (The righteous are rewarded); Acts 7:59—8:8 (Stephen is stoned to death) (Lexham English Bible)
Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Let All Creation Praise Yahweh
148 Praise Yah.[a]
Praise Yahweh from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts.[b]
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all stars of light.
4 Praise him, highest heavens,[c]
and waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
because he commanded and they were created.
6 And he put them in place forever and ever,
by a decree he gave that will not pass away.
7 Praise Yahweh from the earth—
great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and cloud,[d]
stormy wind doing his bidding,[e]
9 the mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 beasts and all cattle,[f]
creeping things and flying birds,[g]
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
12 young men and young women as well,
the old together with the young—
13 let them praise the name of Yahweh,
because his name alone is is exalted.
His splendor is above earth and heavens.
14 And he has raised high a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful—
for the children of Israel,
a people close to him.
Praise Yah.[h]
59 And they kept on stoning Stephen as he[a] was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 And falling to his[b] knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after he[c] said this, he fell asleep.[d]
Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church
8 And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house,[e] he dragged off both men and women and[f] delivered them[g] to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4 Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. 5 And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and[h] began proclaiming[i] the Christ[j] to them. 6 And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him[k] and saw the signs that he was performing. 7 For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them,[l] crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
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