Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord is Holy
99 The Lord reigns—
let people tremble;
he is seated above the cherubim—
let the earth quake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion
and is exalted above all peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name.
He is holy!
4 A mighty king who loves justice,
you have established fairness.
You have exercised justice
and righteousness over Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
worship and bow down at his footstool;
He is holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel also was among those who invoked his name.
When they called on the Lord,
he answered them.
7 In a pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they obeyed his decrees
and the Law that he gave them.
8 Lord our God, you answered them;
you were their God who forgave[a] them,
but also avenged their evil deeds.
9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy!
Samuel at Shiloh
18 Now Samuel was ministering in the Lord’s presence, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.[a] 19 His mother would make a small robe for him, and she would bring it each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say,[b] “May the Lord give[c] you descendants[d] from this woman in place of the one she dedicated[e] to the Lord.” Then they would return to their[f] home.[g]
21 The Lord took note of Hannah,[h] and she became pregnant and gave birth to[i] three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow,[j] and the Lord was constantly[k] with him.
Controversy about the Law
15 Then some men came down from Judea and started to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses, you can’t be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas had quite a dispute and argument with them. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about this question. 3 They were sent on their way by the church, and as they were going through Phoenicia and Samaria they told of the conversion of the gentiles and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done through them. 5 But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The gentiles[a] must be circumcised and ordered to keep the Law of Moses.”
The Reply of the Church
22 Then the apostles, the elders, and the whole church decided to choose some of their men to send with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders among the brothers. 23 They wrote this letter for them to deliver:[a]
“From:[b] The apostles and the elders, your brothers
To: Their gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
Greetings. 24 We have heard that some men, coming from us without instructions from us, have said things to trouble you and have unsettled you.[c] 25 So we have unanimously decided to choose men and send them to you with our dear Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.[d] 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any burden but these essential requirements: 29 to keep away from food sacrificed to idols, from blood,[e] from anything strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you avoid these things, you will do well. Goodbye.”
30 So the men were sent on their way and arrived in Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. 31 When the people[f] read it, they were pleased with how the letter encouraged them. 32 Then Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said a lot to encourage and strengthen the brothers. 33 After staying there for some time, they were sent back with a greeting[g] from the brothers to those who had sent them.[h] 35 Both Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch to teach and proclaim the word of the Lord, as did many others.
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