Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 121
The Lord Our Protector
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?(A)
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(B)
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.(C)
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.(D)
26 The shape of a throne with the appearance of sapphire[a] stone was above the expanse.[b](A) There was a form with the appearance of a human on the throne high above.(B) 27 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around.(C) From what seemed to be His waist down, I also saw what looked like fire. There was a brilliant light all around Him. 28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.(D) This was the appearance of the form of the Lord’s glory.(E) When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.(F)
Mission to Rebellious Israel
2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet(G) and I will speak with you.”
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews, 3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem.(A) 5 They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.(B) 6 And now I stand on trial for the hope(C) of the promise(D) made by God to our fathers, 7 the promise our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.(E) 8 Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.(F) 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.(G) 11 In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them.(H) I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them.
Paul’s Account of His Conversion and Commission
12 “I was traveling to Damascus under(I) these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’[a](J)
15 “Then I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
“And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen[b] and of what I will reveal to you.(K) 17 I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them(L) 18 to open their eyes(M) so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.’(N)
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