Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, whose name translates as “Dorcas.” She was full of good works and generous deeds. ³⁷ Around that time she fell ill and died. They washed her and laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ Lydda is near Joppa, and the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the urgent request that he shouldn’t delay, but come to them at once. ³⁹ So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upper room, where all the widows were weeping. They showed him the tunics and the other clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out. Then he knelt down and prayed, and turned to the body.

“Tabitha,” he said, “get up!”

She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ He gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then he called God’s people, including the widows, and presented her alive.

⁴² This became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed on in Joppa for some days, at the house of Simon the tanner.

The great rescue

⁹ After this I looked, and lo and behold a huge gathering which nobody could possibly count, from every nation and tribe and people and language. They were standing in front of the throne, and in front of the lamb. They were dressed in white robes, holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They were shouting out at the tops of their voices, “Salvation belongs to our God, to the one who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!” ¹¹ All the angels who were standing around the throne and the elders and the four creatures fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. ¹² “Yes, Amen!” they were saying. “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever! Amen!”

¹³ One of the elders spoke to me. “Who are these people dressed all in white?” he said. “Where have they come from?”

¹⁴ “Sir,” I replied, “you know!”

“These are the ones,” he said, “who have come out of the great suffering. They have washed their clothes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they are there in front of God’s throne, serving him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ¹⁶ They will never be hungry again, or thirsty again. The sun will not scorch them, nor will any fierce heat. ¹⁷ The lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of running water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

²² It was the Feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in Solomon’s Porch. ²⁴ The Judaeans surrounded him.

“How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense?” they asked. “If you are the Messiah, say so out loud!”

²⁵ “I told you,” replied Jesus, “and you didn’t believe. The works which I’m doing in my father’s name give evidence about me. ²⁶ But you don’t believe, because you don’t belong to my sheep.

²⁷ “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them the life of the coming age. They will never, ever perish, and nobody can snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and nobody can snatch them out of my father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the father are one.”