Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
34 Then Peter began to speak: “Now I understand that God shows no partiality. 35 Indeed, whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. 36 He has sent his word to the descendants of Israel and brought them the good news of peace through Jesus the Messiah.[a] This man is the Lord of everyone. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, he went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed by the Devil. 39 We are witnesses of everything Jesus[b] did in the land of the Jews, including Jerusalem.
“They hung him on a tree and killed him, 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear— 41 not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God to be witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He also ordered us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify to this: everyone who believes in Jesus[c] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I’ll be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
The Lord Promises Restoration
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword,
found favor in the desert
while Israel was seeking rest.[a]
3 The Lord appeared to Israel[b] from far away and said,[c]
“I’ve loved you with an everlasting love,
therefore I’ve drawn you with gracious love.
4 I’ll again build you, and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin Israel!
You will again take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with those who are filled with joy.
5 You will again plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria
where planters had planted and defiled the fruit.[d]
6 For there will be a day when the watchmen
will call out on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Arise, let’s go up to Zion to the Lord our God.’”
Thanksgiving to God
118 Give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good;
his gracious love is eternal.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His gracious love is eternal.”
14 The Lord is my strength and protector,[a]
for he has become my deliverer.[b]
15 There’s exultation[c] for deliverance in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord is victorious![d]
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted!
The right hand of the Lord is victorious!”[e]
17 I will not die, but I will live
to recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord will discipline me severely,
but he won’t hand me over to die.
19 Open for me the righteous gates
so I may enter through them to give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate—
The righteous will enter through it.
21 I will praise you because you have answered me
and have become my deliverer.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is from the Lord—
it is awesome in our sight.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
Keep Focusing on the Messiah
3 Therefore, if you have been raised with the Messiah,[a] keep focusing on the things that are above, where the Messiah[b] is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life has been safely guarded by the Messiah[c] in God. 4 When the Messiah,[d] who is[e] your[f] life, is revealed, then you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.
34 Then Peter began to speak: “Now I understand that God shows no partiality. 35 Indeed, whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. 36 He has sent his word to the descendants of Israel and brought them the good news of peace through Jesus the Messiah.[a] This man is the Lord of everyone. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, he went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed by the Devil. 39 We are witnesses of everything Jesus[b] did in the land of the Jews, including Jerusalem.
“They hung him on a tree and killed him, 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear— 41 not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God to be witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He also ordered us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify to this: everyone who believes in Jesus[c] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(A)
20 On the first day of the week,[a] early in the morning and while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene[b] went to the tomb and noticed that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran off and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus kept loving. She told them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple took off for the tomb. 4 The two of them were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 Bending over to look inside, he noticed the linen cloths lying there, but didn’t go in. 6 At this point Simon Peter arrived, following him, and went straight into the tomb. He observed that the linen cloths were lying there, 7 and that the handkerchief that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside, looked, and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that said[c] that Jesus[d] had to rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went back to their homes.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene(B)
11 Meanwhile, Mary[e] stood crying outside the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked[f] into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white clothes who were sitting down, one at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They asked her, “Lady,[g] why are you crying?”
She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 After she had said this, she turned around and noticed Jesus standing there, without realizing that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus asked her, “Dear lady,[h] why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she told him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus told her, “Mary!”
She turned around and told him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me, because I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I’m ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 So Mary Magdalene[i] went and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord!” She also told them what he had told her.
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(A)
28 After the Sabbaths,[a] around dawn on the first day of the week,[b] Mary Magdalene[c] and the other Mary went to take a look at the burial site.[d] 2 Suddenly, there was a powerful earthquake, because an angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, approached the stone, rolled it away, and was sitting on top of it. 3 His appearance was bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 Trembling from fear, even the guards themselves became catatonic.[e]
5 Responding to the women, the angel said, “Stop being frightened! I know you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here. He has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he[f] was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee, and you will see him there. Remember, I have told you!”
8 So they quickly left the tomb, terrified but also ecstatic, and ran to tell Jesus’[g] disciples. 9 Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They went up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Stop being frightened! Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
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