Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Back In Jerusalem, Peter Explains How God Gave The Identical Gift To The Gentiles

11 Now the apostles and the brothers being throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also accepted the word of God. ² But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the ones of the circumcision were disputing with him, ³ saying that “You went in to men having uncircumcision, and you ate with them”. ⁴ But having begun, Peter was explaining it to them in-order, saying, ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying. And in a trance, I saw a vision— a certain object like a large sheet coming down, being let down by four corners from heaven. And it came to me, ⁶ into which having looked-intently, I was observing. And I saw the four-footed-animals of the earth, and the wild-beasts, and the reptiles, and the birds of the heaven. ⁷ And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Having arisen, Peter, slaughter and eat!’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, because a defiled or unclean thing never entered into my mouth’. ⁹ But a voice responded for a second time from heaven, ‘The things which God made-clean, don’t you be making-defiled’. ¹⁰ And this took place three times, and everything was pulled-up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold— three men immediately stood at the house in which we were staying, having been sent forth from Caesarea to me. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go-with them, having made no distinction. And these six brothers also went with me. And we entered into the house of the man. ¹³ And he reported to us how he saw the angel having stood in his house, and having said, ‘Send-forth to Joppa, and send-for Simon, the one being called Peter, ¹⁴ who will speak words to you by which you will be saved— you and all your household’. ¹⁵ And at my beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as also upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He was saying, ‘John baptized with water— but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit!’ ¹⁷ Therefore if God gave the identical gift to them as also to us— [we both] having put faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ— who was I to be able to forbid God?” ¹⁸ And having heard these things, they were quiet. And they glorified God, saying, “Then God granted the repentance leading-to life to the Gentiles also!”

Vision 7: The New Heaven And New Earth And New Jerusalem

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed-away. And there is no longer a sea^[a]. ² And I saw the holy city— the new Jerusalem— coming down out of heaven from God, having been prepared like a bride having been adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying “Behold— the dwelling^[b] of God is with mankind. And He will dwell with them. And they themselves will be His peoples^[c]. And God Himself with them will be their God. ⁴ And He will wipe-away every tear from their eyes^[d]. And there will no longer be death, nor will there be mourning nor crying nor pain any longer, because the first things passed away”. ⁵ And the One sitting on the throne said, “Behold— I am making all things new”. And he^[e] says, “Write, because these words are trustworthy^[f] and true”. ⁶ And He said to me, “They^[g] are done^[h]. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one thirsting, I will give from the spring of the water of life as-a-gift^[i].

Then Jesus Says, Now God Was Glorified In Me. And He Will Yet Glorify Me

³¹ Then when he went out, Jesus says, “Now^[a] the Son of Man was glorified^[b], and God was glorified in Him. ³² If God was^[c] glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself— and will glorify Him immediately.

Where I Am Going You Cannot Come. Love One Another As I Have Loved You

³³ “Little-children, I am with you a little longer. You will seek Me, and just as I told the Jews that where I am going, you are not able to come, I also tell you now. ³⁴ I am giving you a new commandment— that you be loving one another; just as I loved you, that you also be loving one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are disciples to Me: if you are having love in-the-case-of ^[d] one another”.