Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
16 It happened that as we were going to (A)the place of prayer, a slave-girl having (B)a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of (C)the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you [a]the way of salvation.” 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you (D)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very [b]moment.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of (E)profit was [c]gone, they seized (F)Paul and Silas and (G)dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and (H)are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being (I)Romans.”
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their [d]robes off them and proceeded to order [e]them to be (J)beaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding (K)the jailer to guard them securely; 24 [f]and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in (L)the [g]stocks.
25 But about midnight (M)Paul and Silas were praying and (N)singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly (O)there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately (P)all the doors were opened and everyone’s (Q)chains were unfastened. 27 When (R)the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about (S)to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before (T)Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, (U)what must I do to be saved?”
The Jailer Converted
31 They said, “(V)Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and (W)your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of [h]the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them (X)that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set [i]food before them, and rejoiced [j]greatly, having believed in God with (Y)his whole household.
The Lord’s Power and Dominion.
97 (A)The Lord [a]reigns, let the (B)earth rejoice;
Let the many [b](C)islands be glad.
2 (D)Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
(E)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 (F)Fire goes before Him
And (G)burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His (H)lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw and (I)trembled.
5 The mountains (J)melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the (K)Lord of the whole earth.
6 The (L)heavens declare His righteousness,
And (M)all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 Let all those be ashamed who serve (N)graven images,
Who boast themselves of (O)idols;
[c](P)Worship Him, all you [d]gods.
8 Zion [e]heard this and (Q)was glad,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You are the Lord (R)Most High over all the earth;
You are exalted far (S)above all [f]gods.
10 (T)Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who (U)preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He (V)delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 (W)Light is sown like seed for the righteous
And (X)gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be (Y)glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And (Z)give thanks [g]to His holy name.
12 “Behold, (A)I am coming quickly, and My (B)reward is with Me, (C)to render to every man [a]according to what he has done. 13 I am the (D)Alpha and the Omega, (E)the first and the last, (F)the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are those who (G)wash their robes, so that they may have the right to (H)the tree of life, and may (I)enter by the (J)gates into the city.
16 “(A)I, Jesus, have sent (B)My angel to testify to you these things [a](C)for the churches. I am (D)the root and the (E)descendant of David, the bright (F)morning star.”
17 The (G)Spirit and the (H)bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And (I)let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the (J)water of life without cost.
20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; (A)even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, (B)so that the world may [a]believe that (C)You sent Me.
Their Future Glory
22 The (D)glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 (E)I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected [b]in unity, so that the world may [c]know that (F)You sent Me, and (G)loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that (H)they also, whom You have given Me, (I)be with Me where I am, so that they may see My (J)glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before (K)the foundation of the world.
25 “O (L)righteous Father, [d]although (M)the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that (N)You sent Me; 26 and (O)I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that (P)the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.