Psalms 23; Psalms 24; Psalms 25; Acts 21:18-40

Psalms 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalms 24

1 The earth is the LORD ’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.

3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD ? Who may stand in his holy place?

4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.

5 They will receive the LORD ’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.

6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. Interlude

7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.

8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle.

9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.

10 Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. Interlude

Psalms 25

1 O LORD, I give my life to you.

2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.

3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

4 Show me the right path, O LORD ; point out the road for me to follow.

5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.

7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD .

8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.

10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

11 For the honor of your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins.

12 Who are those who fear the LORD ? He will show them the path they should choose.

13 They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.

14 The LORD is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.

15 My eyes are always on the LORD, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

16 Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.

17 My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!

18 Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins.

19 See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me!

20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.

21 May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.

22 O God, ransom Israel from all its troubles.

Acts 21:18-40

18 The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present.

19 After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously.

21 But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs.

22 What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23 “Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow.

24 Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.

25 “As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

26 So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.

27 The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him,

28 yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. ”

29 (For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)

30 The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him.

31 As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.

33 Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done.

34 Some shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress.

35 As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift him to their shoulders to protect him.

36 And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!”

37 As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?” “Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised.

38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”

39 “No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.”

40 The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.