Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 Therefore the (A)anger of the Lord was kindled against His people,
And He (B)loathed His [a](C)inheritance.
41 So (D)He handed them over to the [b]nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also (E)oppressed them,
And they were subdued under their [c]power.
43 Many times He would (F)rescue them;
They, however, were rebellious in their (G)plan,
And they (H)sank down into their guilt.
12 Who is the (A)wise person who may understand this? And who is he to whom (B)the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? (C)Why is the land destroyed, laid waste like the desert, so that no one passes through? 13 The Lord said, “Because they have (D)abandoned My Law which I put before them, and have not obeyed My voice nor walked according to it, 14 but have (E)followed the stubbornness of their heart and the (F)Baals, [a]as their (G)fathers taught them,” 15 therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Behold, (H)I will feed this people wormwood; and I will give them (I)poisoned water to drink. 16 I will also (J)scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the (K)sword after them until I have put an end to them.”
17 This is what the Lord of armies says:
“Consider and call for the (L)mourning women, that they may come;
And send for the [b](M)skillful women, that they may come!
18 Have them hurry and take up a wailing for us,
So that our (N)eyes may shed tears,
And our eyelids flow with water.
19 For a voice of (O)wailing is heard from Zion:
‘(P)How devastated we are!
We are put to great shame,
For we have (Q)abandoned the land
Because they have torn down our homes.’”
20 Now hear the word of the Lord, you (R)women,
And let your ears receive the word of His mouth;
Teach your daughters wailing,
And have every woman teach her neighbor a song of mourning.
21 For (S)death has come up through our windows;
It has entered our palaces
To eliminate the (T)children from the streets,
The young men from the public squares.
22 Speak, “This is what the Lord says:
‘The corpses of people will fall (U)like dung on the open field,
And like the sheaf after the reaper,
But no one will gather them.’”
23 This is what the Lord says: “(V)Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the (W)mighty man boast of his might, nor a (X)rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let the one who boasts (Y)boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who (Z)exercises [c]mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I (AA)delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
25 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet (AB)uncircumcised— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and (AC)all those inhabiting the desert who trim the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are (AD)uncircumcised of heart.”
Peter and John Arrested
4 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and (A)the captain of the temple guard and (B)the Sadducees (C)came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming [a](D)in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them and (E)put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the [b]message believed; and (F)the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
5 On the next day, their (G)rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and (H)Annas the high priest was there, and (I)Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 7 When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, [c](J)filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “[d](K)Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are [e]on trial today for (L)a benefit done to a sick man, as to [f]how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that [g](M)by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom (N)God raised from the dead—[h]by [i]this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 [j](O)He is the (P)stone which was (Q)rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in (R)no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.