Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 71^(A)

Josiah, King of Judah^(A)

34 And Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he was king for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. ² And he did what was correct in the eyes of the Lord, and he walked in the ways of David his father and did not turn either to the right or left.

³ And in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a young boy, he began to seek out the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from high places, Asherah poles, idols, and carved and cast images. ⁴ So they tore down the altars for the Baals, and he cut down the incense altars that were above them and smashed the Asherah poles and carved and cast images. And he crushed them to dust and scattered them before the graves of those who sacrificed to them. ⁵ Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and so cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶ In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around, ⁷ he broke down the altars, beat Asherah poles and the images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵ All the believers of the circumcision who had come with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in other tongues and magnifying God.

Then Peter continued, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these, who have received the Holy Spirit as we have?” ⁴⁸ So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.