Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Peter’s Sermon

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be explained to you; listen closely and pay attention to what I have to say.

³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah, Anointed)—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

The Ingathering

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”^{(A) 40} And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “^[a]Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” ⁴¹ So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about ^[b]3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

¹⁷ If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth. ¹⁸ For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, ¹⁹ but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.^{(A) 20} For He was ^[a]foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake ²¹ and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.

²² Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a sincere love of the believers, [see that you] love one another from the heart [always unselfishly seeking the best for one another], ²³ for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.

The Road to Emmaus

¹³ And then, that very day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about ^[a]seven miles from Jerusalem.^{(A) 14} And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing it, Jesus Himself came up and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were [miraculously] prevented from recognizing Him. ¹⁷ Then Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing with one another as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking brokenhearted. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are you the only stranger visiting Jerusalem who is unaware of the things which have happened here in these [recent] days?” ¹⁹ He asked, “What things?” And they replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, ²⁰ and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel and set our nation free. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. ²² And also some of the women among us shocked us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and they did not find His body. Then they came back, saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive! ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women had said, but they did not see Him.” ²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to trust and believe in everything that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

²⁸ Then they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as if He were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged Him [not to go on], saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening, and the day has just about ended.” So He went inside to stay with them. ³⁰ And it happened that as He reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. ³² They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” ³³ They got up that very hour and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [apostles] gathered together and those who were with them, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!” ³⁵ They began describing in detail what had happened on the road, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.