Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 15[a]
A psalm of David.
15 Lord, who may be a guest in your home?[b]
Who may live on your holy hill?[c]
2 Whoever lives a blameless life,[d]
does what is right,
and speaks honestly.[e]
3 He[f] does not slander,[g]
or do harm to others,[h]
or insult his neighbor.[i]
4 He despises a reprobate,[j]
but honors the Lord’s loyal followers.[k]
He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.[l]
5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money.[m]
He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent.[n]
The one who lives like this[o] will never be shaken.
Psalm 67[a]
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
67 May God show us his favor[b] and bless us.[c]
May he smile on us.[d] (Selah)
2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like;
all nations will know how you deliver your people.[e]
3 Let the nations thank you, O God.
Let all the nations thank you.[f]
4 Let foreigners[g] rejoice and celebrate.
For you execute justice among the nations,
and govern the people living on earth.[h] (Selah)
5 Let the nations thank you, O God.
Let all the nations thank you.[i]
6 The earth yields its crops.
May God, our God, bless us.
7 May God bless us.[j]
Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves.[k]
Conditions Among the Early Believers
32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind,[a] and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common.[b] 33 With[c] great power the apostles were giving testimony[d] to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 34 For there was no one needy[e] among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling[f] them[g] and bringing the proceeds from the sales 35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds[h] were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”),[i] 37 sold[j] a field[k] that belonged to him and brought the money[l] and placed it at the apostles’ feet.
Psalm 19[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;[b]
the sky displays his handiwork.[c]
2 Day after day it speaks out;[d]
night after night it reveals his greatness.[e]
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its[f] voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice[g] echoes[h] throughout the earth;
its[i] words carry[j] to the distant horizon.[k]
In the sky[l] he has pitched a tent for the sun.[m]
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges[n] from its chamber;[o]
like a strong man it enjoys[p] running its course.[q]
6 It emerges from the distant horizon,[r]
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;[s]
nothing can escape[t] its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life.[u]
The rules set down by the Lord[v] are reliable[w]
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.[x]
8 The Lord’s precepts are fair[y]
and make one joyful.[z]
The Lord’s commands[aa] are pure[ab]
and give insight for life.[ac]
9 The commands to fear the Lord are right[ad]
and endure forever.[ae]
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just.[af]
10 They are of greater value[ag] than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight[ah] than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there;[ai]
those who obey them receive a rich reward.[aj]
12 Who can know all his errors?[ak]
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.[al]
13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins;[am]
do not allow such sins to control me.[an]
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant[ao] rebellion.
14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,[ap]
O Lord, my sheltering rock[aq] and my redeemer.[ar]
Psalm 146[a]
146 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver.[b]
4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground.
On that day their plans die.[c]
5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful,[d]
7 vindicates the oppressed,[e]
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned.
8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up all who are bent over.[f]
The Lord loves the godly.
9 The Lord protects the resident foreigner.
He lifts up the fatherless and the widow,[g]
but he opposes the wicked.[h]
10 The Lord rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come.[i]
Praise the Lord!
Saul Returns to Jerusalem
26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to associate[a] with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe[b] that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took[c] Saul,[d] brought[e] him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that[f] the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly[g] in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was staying with them, associating openly with them[h] in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He was speaking and debating[i] with the Greek-speaking Jews,[j] but they were trying to kill him. 30 When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea[k] and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 Then[l] the church throughout Judea, Galilee,[m] and Samaria experienced[n] peace and thus was strengthened.[o] Living[p] in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church[q] increased in numbers.
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