Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
34 Peter’s Speech. Then Peter addressed them: “I now understand how true it is that God has no favorites, 35 but that in every nation all those who fear God and do what is right are acceptable to him. 36 He sent his word to the children of Israel and proclaimed the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of all.
37 “You are well aware of what was proclaimed all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism of John, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 “We are witnesses to everything he did in the Jewish countryside and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day and allowed him to be seen 41 not by all the people but by witnesses who were chosen by God in advance—by us who ate and drank with him[a] after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one designated by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the Prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Chapter 31
Restoration of Israel
1 At that time, says the Lord:
I will be the God of all the families of Israel,
and they will be my people.
2 Thus says the Lord:
The people who survived the sword
found favor in the wilderness.
When the people of Israel sought for rest,
3 the Lord appeared to them from afar, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore, I have continued to be merciful to you.
4 I will build you up again,
and you will be rebuilt,
O virgin Israel.
You will once again carry your tambourines
and go forth to dance with the merry throng.
5 You will once again plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria,
and those who plant them will enjoy their fruit.
6 Yes, a day will come when the watchmen
will cry out on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord, our God.’ ”
14 The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.[a]
15 Joyful shouts of triumph
ring out in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord has done wondrous deeds;
16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord has done wondrous deeds.”
17 I shall not die; rather I shall live
and recount[b] the works of the Lord.
18 Even though the Lord punished me harshly,
he did not hand me over to death.
19 [c]Open to me the gates of righteousness
so that I may enter them and praise the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous enter.
21 I thank you for having answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 [d]The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;[e]
let us exult and rejoice in it.
Exhortation To Live as Christians
Chapter 3
Seek the Things That Are Above.[a] 1 Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. 2 Fix your thoughts on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
34 Peter’s Speech. Then Peter addressed them: “I now understand how true it is that God has no favorites, 35 but that in every nation all those who fear God and do what is right are acceptable to him. 36 He sent his word to the children of Israel and proclaimed the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of all.
37 “You are well aware of what was proclaimed all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism of John, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 “We are witnesses to everything he did in the Jewish countryside and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day and allowed him to be seen 41 not by all the people but by witnesses who were chosen by God in advance—by us who ate and drank with him[a] after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one designated by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the Prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The Appearances of the Risen One[a]
Chapter 20
The Mystery of the Empty Tomb.[b] 1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb. 2 Therefore, she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”
3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and made their way toward the tomb. 4 They both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6 When Simon Peter caught up with him, he entered the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and also the cloth that had covered his head not lying with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went inside, and he saw and believed. 9 They still did not understand the Scripture indicating that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 Mary Magdalene Recognizes Jesus.[c] Mary Magdalene remained weeping outside the tomb. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting there where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him.”
14 As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have removed him, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”[d] (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus then said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”[e] 18 Mary Magdalene then went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and repeated what he had said to her.
Chapter 28
Jesus Is Raised from the Dead.[a] 1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the sepulcher. 2 And behold, there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descended from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his garments were as white as snow. 4 The guards were so paralyzed with fear of him that they became like dead men.
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has been raised, as he promised he would be. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has been raised from the dead and now he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
8 They were filled with fear and great joy, and they ran from the tomb to inform his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus came to meet them, saying, “Greetings.” They approached him, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be fearful. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee. There they will see me.”[b]
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