Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 71
God’s Help in Old Age
1 Lord, I seek refuge in you;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
2 In your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me.(B)
3 Be a rock of refuge for me,
where I can always go.
Give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and fortress.(C)
4 Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive.(D)
5 For you are my hope, Lord God,
my confidence from my youth.(E)
6 I have leaned on you from birth;
you took me from my mother’s womb.(F)
My praise is always about you.(G)
Judah’s King Josiah
34 Josiah was eight years old(A) when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David;(B) he did not turn aside to the right or the left.
Josiah’s Reform
3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David,(C) and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images,(D) and the cast images. 4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the shrines[a] that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered(E) them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.(F) 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars.(G) So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 He did the same in the cities(H) of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines.[b] 7 He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the shrines throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem.(I)
Gentile Conversion and Baptism
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down(A) on all those who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.(B) 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and declaring the greatness of God.
Then Peter responded, 47 “Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (C) 48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.(D) Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
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