Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 148

Creation’s Praise of the Lord

¹⁷ However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, ¹⁸ and they abandoned the temple of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors and served the Asherah poles and the idols.^(A) So there was wrath^(B) against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, He sent them prophets^(C) to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.^(D)

²⁰ The Spirit of God took control of^[a](E) Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands and you do not prosper?^(F) Because you have abandoned the Lord, He has abandoned you.’”^{(G) 21} But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.^{(H) 22} King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand^(I) an account.”

Aramean Invasion of Judah

²³ At the turn of the year, an Aramean army went to war against Joash.^(J) They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. ²⁴ Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over^(K) a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned^(L) Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.

Seven Chosen to Serve

6 In those days, as the number of the disciples^(A) was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews^[a] against the Hebraic Jews^[b] that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.^{(B) 2} Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.^{[c] 3} Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation,^(C) full of the Spirit^(D) and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry.” ⁵ The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen,^(E) a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch.^{(F) 6} They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed^(G) and laid their hands on^(H) them.^[d]

⁷ So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied^(I) greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked^(A) people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!^(B) You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?^(C) They even killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers^(D) you have now become. ⁵³ You received the law under the direction of angels^(E) and yet have not kept it.”

The First Christian Martyr

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts^[a] and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with^[b] Jesus standing at the right hand of God,^(F) and he said, ⁵⁶ “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”^(G)

⁵⁷ Then they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. ⁵⁸ They threw him out of the city and began to stone^(H) him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{(I) 59} They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”^{(J) 60} Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,^(K) “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell asleep.^(L)