Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 29

The Voice of the Lord

A psalm of David.

¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁷ The tabernacle was set up in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month.^{[a](A) 18} Moses set up the tabernacle: He laid its bases, positioned its supports, inserted its crossbars, and set up its pillars. ¹⁹ Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²⁰ Moses took the testimony^(B) and placed it in the ark, and attached the poles to the ark. He set the mercy seat on top of the ark. ²¹ He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the curtain for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded him.

²² Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain. ²³ He arranged the bread on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him. ²⁴ He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle ²⁵ and set up the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him.

²⁶ Moses installed the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the curtain, ²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded him. ²⁸ He put up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹ He placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the Lord had commanded him.

³⁰ He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. ³¹ Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it. ³² They washed whenever they came to the tent of meeting and approached the altar, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³³ Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.^(C)

The Lord’s Glory

³⁴ The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.^{(D) 35} Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

³⁶ The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey.^{(E) 37} If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up.^{(F) 38} For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

An Official Apology

³⁵ When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”^(A)

³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to send us away secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out.”^(B)

³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came to appease them, and escorting them from prison, they urged them to leave town. ⁴⁰ After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.^(C)