Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [a]Areopagus and said, “Men of (A)Athens, I see that you are very (B)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (C)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what (D)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (E)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is (F)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (G)dwell in temples made by hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (H)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (I)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (J)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, (K)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (L)in Him we live and move and [b]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we (M)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30 So having (N)overlooked (O)the times of ignorance, God is (P)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31 because He has set (Q)a day on which (R)He will judge [c](S)the world in righteousness [d]through a Man whom He has (T)appointed, having furnished proof to all people [e]by (U)raising Him from the dead.”
8 Bless our God, you peoples,
And [a](A)sound His praise abroad,
9 Who [b](B)keeps us in life,
And (C)does not allow our feet to [c]slip.
10 For You have (D)put us to the test, God;
You have (E)refined us as silver is refined.
11 You (F)brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon [d]us.
12 You made men (G)ride over our heads;
We went through (H)fire and through water.
Yet You (I)brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall (J)come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall (K)pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was (L)in distress.
15 I shall (M)offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals,
With the smoke of (N)rams;
I shall make an offering of [e]bulls with male goats. Selah
16 (O)Come and hear, all who [f]fear God,
And I will (P)tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And [g]He was (Q)exalted with my tongue.
18 If I [h](R)regard wickedness in my heart,
The (S)Lord will not hear;
19 But (T)God has heard;
He has given attention to the sound of my prayer.
20 (U)Blessed be God,
Who (V)has not turned away my prayer
Nor His favor from me.
13 (A)And who is [a]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should (B)suffer for the sake of righteousness, (C)you [b]are blessed. (D)And do not fear their [c]intimidation, and do not be in dread, 15 but [d]sanctify (E)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready (F)to make a [e]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the (G)hope that is in you, but (H)with gentleness and (I)respect; 16 [f]and keep a (J)good conscience so that in the thing in which (K)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For (L)it is better, (M)if [g]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For (N)Christ also [h]suffered for sins (O)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might (P)bring us to God, having been put to death (Q)in the flesh, but made alive (R)in the [i]spirit; 19 in [j]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who once were disobedient when the (S)patience of God (T)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of (U)the ark, in which a few, that is, (V)eight (W)persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 (X)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—(Y)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God [k]for a (Z)good conscience—through (AA)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 (AB)who is at the right hand of God, (AC)having gone into heaven, (AD)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
15 “(A)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
The Holy Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [a](B)Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is (C)the Spirit of truth, (D)whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; (E)I am coming to you. 19 [b](F)After a little while, (G)the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; (H)because I live, you also will live. 20 (I)On that day you will know that (J)I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. 21 (K)The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and (L)the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will (M)reveal Myself to him.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.