Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
9 During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. “Come over to Macedonia!” the man said. “Help us!” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.
Lydia Becomes a Believer in Philippi
11 At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together. 14 One of the women listening was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia, and her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message. 15 She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to her home. “Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?” she asked. “If you do, come and stay at my house.” She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.
For the director of music. A psalm. A song to be played on stringed instruments.
67 God, have mercy on us and bless us.
May you be pleased with us.
2 Then your ways will be known on earth.
All nations will see that you have the power to save.
3 God, may the nations praise you.
May all the people on earth praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy.
You rule the people of the earth fairly.
You guide the nations of the earth.
5 God, may the nations praise you.
May all the people on earth praise you.
6 The land produces its crops.
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God continue to bless us.
Then people from one end of the earth to the other
will have respect for him.
10 Then he carried me away in a vision. The Spirit took me to a huge, high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City. It was coming down out of heaven from God.
22 I didn’t see a temple in the city. That’s because the Lamb and the Lord God who rules over all are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it. God’s glory is its light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by the light of the city. The kings of the world will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut, because there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Only what is pure will enter the city. No one who causes people to believe lies will enter it. No one who does shameful things will enter it either. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enter the city.
The Earth Is Made Like New Again
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was as clear as crystal. It flowed from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit. Its fruit was ripe every month. The leaves of the tree bring healing to the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city. God’s servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. The Lord God will give them light. They will rule for ever and ever.
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them. We will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away. And I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you now before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.
Jesus Heals a Man at the Pool
5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish feasts. 2 In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate is a pool. In the Aramaic language it is called Bethesda. It is surrounded by five rows of columns with a roof over them. 3-4 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie down. Among them were those who were blind, those who could not walk, and those who could hardly move. 5 One person was there who had not been able to walk for 38 years. 6 Jesus saw him lying there. He knew that the man had been in that condition for a long time. So he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the disabled man replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when an angel stirs up the water. I try to get in, but someone else always goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 The man was healed right away. He picked up his mat and walked.
This happened on a Sabbath day.
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