Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
34 Then Peter said, “Now I understand that God doesn’t play favorites. 35 Rather, whoever respects God and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. 36 God sent his word to the people of Israel and brought them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is everyone’s Lord. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea. Everything began in Galilee after John spread the news about baptism. 38 You know that God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went everywhere and did good things, such as healing everyone who was under the devil’s power. Jesus did these things because God was with him. 39 We can testify to everything Jesus did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. People hung him on a cross and killed him, 40 but God brought him back to life on the third day. God didn’t show him 41 to all the people. He showed Jesus to witnesses, apostles he had already chosen. We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Jesus after he came back to life. 42 He ordered us to warn the people, ‘God has appointed Jesus to judge the living and the dead.’ 43 In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Jesus receive forgiveness for their sins through him.”
Both Israel and Judah Will Be Rescued
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
The people who survived the wars have found favor in the desert.
Israel went to find its rest.
3 The Lord appeared to me in a faraway place and said,
“I love you with an everlasting love.
So I will continue to show you my kindness.
4 Once again I will build you up,
and you will be rebuilt, my dear people Israel.
Once again you will take your tambourines,
and you will go dancing with happy people.
5 Once again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.
Those who plant them will enjoy the fruit.
6 There will be a day when watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim
will call out this message:
‘Arise! Let’s go to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”
118 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
2 Israel should say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
14 The Lord is my strength and my song.
He is my savior.
15 The sound of joyful singing and victory is heard
in the tents of righteous people.
The right hand of the Lord displays strength.
16 The right hand of the Lord is held high.
The right hand of the Lord displays strength.
17 I will not die,
but I will live and tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord disciplined me severely,
but he did not allow me to be killed.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me.
I will go through them ⌞and⌟ give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which righteous people will enter.
21 I give thanks to you,
because you have answered me.
You are my savior.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
Let’s rejoice and be glad today!
Live as God’s People
3 Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above—where Christ holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. 2 Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things. 3 You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 Christ is your life. When he appears, then you, too, will appear with him in glory.
34 Then Peter said, “Now I understand that God doesn’t play favorites. 35 Rather, whoever respects God and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. 36 God sent his word to the people of Israel and brought them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is everyone’s Lord. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea. Everything began in Galilee after John spread the news about baptism. 38 You know that God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went everywhere and did good things, such as healing everyone who was under the devil’s power. Jesus did these things because God was with him. 39 We can testify to everything Jesus did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. People hung him on a cross and killed him, 40 but God brought him back to life on the third day. God didn’t show him 41 to all the people. He showed Jesus to witnesses, apostles he had already chosen. We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Jesus after he came back to life. 42 He ordered us to warn the people, ‘God has appointed Jesus to judge the living and the dead.’ 43 In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Jesus receive forgiveness for their sins through him.”
Jesus Comes Back to Life(A)
20 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary from Magdala went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb’s entrance. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. She told them, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.”
3 So Peter and the other disciple headed for the tomb. 4 The two were running side by side, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked inside the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there but didn’t go inside.
6 Simon Peter arrived after him and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. 7 He also saw the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t lying with the strips of linen but was rolled up separately. 8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed. 9 They didn’t know yet what Scripture meant when it said that Jesus had to come back to life. 10 So the disciples went back home.
Jesus Appears to Mary from Magdala
11 Mary, however, stood there and cried as she looked at the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked inside. 12 She saw two angels in white clothes. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying. One angel was where Jesus’ head had been, and the other was where his feet had been. 13 The angels asked her why she was crying.
Mary told them, “They have removed my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”
14 After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. However, she didn’t know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Mary thought it was the gardener speaking to her. So she said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I’ll remove him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
Mary turned around and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This word means “teacher.”)
17 Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me. I have not yet gone to the Father. But go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary from Magdala went to the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord.” She also told them what he had said to her.
Jesus Comes Back to Life(A)
28 After the day of rest—a holy day, as the sun rose Sunday morning, Mary from Magdala and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 Suddenly, there was a powerful earthquake. An angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and was sitting on it. 3 He was as bright as lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow. 4 The guards were so deathly afraid of him that they shook.
5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He’s not here. He has been brought back to life as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. 7 Then go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has been brought back to life. He’s going ahead of them into Galilee. There they will see him. Take note that I have told you.”
8 They hurried away from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.
9 Suddenly, Jesus met them and greeted them. They went up to him, bowed down to worship him, and took hold of his feet.
10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go, tell my followers to go to Galilee. There they will see me.”
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