Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Peter Reports at Jerusalem

11 Now the apostles and ^(A)the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, ^[a](B)those who were circumcised took issue with him, ³ saying, “^(C)You ^[b]went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began speaking ^[c]and proceeded to explain to them ^(D)in orderly sequence, saying, ⁵ “^(E)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw ^(F)a vision, an ^[d]object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from ^[e]the sky; and it came right down to me, ⁶ and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it ^[f]I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the ^[g]crawling creatures and the birds of the ^[h]air. ⁷ I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; ^[i]kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing ^[j]unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘^(G)What God has cleansed, no longer ^[k]consider unholy.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into ^[l]the sky. ¹¹ And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from ^(H)Caesarea. ^12 (I)The Spirit told me to go with them ^[m](J)without misgivings. ^(K)These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he reported to us how he had seen the angel ^[n]standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; ¹⁴ and he will speak ^(L)words to you by which you will be saved, you and ^(M)all your household.’ ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, ^(N)the Holy Spirit fell upon them just ^(O)as He did upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘^(P)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized ^[o]with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ Therefore if ^(Q)God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(R)who was I that I could ^[p]stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard this, they ^[q]quieted down and ^(S)glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the ^(T)repentance that leads to life.”

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw ^(A)a new heaven and a new earth; for ^(B)the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw ^(C)the holy city, ^(D)new Jerusalem, ^(E)coming down out of heaven from God, ^(F)made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, ^(G)the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will ^[a](H)dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them^[b], ⁴ and He will ^(I)wipe away every tear from their eyes; and ^(J)there will no longer be any death; ^(K)there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; ^(L)the first things have passed away.”

⁵ And ^(M)He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am ^(N)making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for ^(O)these words are faithful and true.” ⁶ Then He said to me, “^[c](P)It is done. I am the ^(Q)Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. ^(R)I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the ^(S)water of life without cost.

³¹ Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus *said, “Now ^[a]is ^(A)the Son of Man ^(B)glorified, and ^(C)God ^[b]is glorified in Him; ^32 [c]if God is glorified in Him, ^(D)God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. ^33 (E)Little children, I am with you ^(F)a little while longer. ^(G)You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴ A ^(H)new commandment I give to you, ^(I)that you love one another, ^(J)even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ^35 (K)By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”