St. Luke, Evangelist (October 18)

⁸Bring out the people who are blind, though they have eyes,

and the people who are deaf, though they have ears.

⁹Let all the nations be gathered together,

and let peoples be assembled.

Who among them has declared this?

Who has made known to us the former things?

Let them produce their witnesses to show that they were right,

so that people can hear and say, “This is truth.”

¹⁰You are my witnesses, declares the Lord.

You are my servant, whom I have chosen,

so that you may know me and believe in me,

so that you will understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

and after me there will not be another.

¹¹I, yes I, am the Lord,

and apart from me there is no savior.

¹²I myself declared it.

I brought salvation, and I announced it.

It was not some strange god among you.

You are my witnesses, declares the Lord,

and I am God.

¹³Indeed, from the first day, I am he.

There is no one who can deliver anyone from my hand.

I act, and who can reverse it?

⁵As for you, keep a clear head in every situation. Bear hardship. Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry.

⁶You see, I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. ⁸From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will give it to me on that day, and not only to me but also to everyone who loved his appearing.

⁹Make every effort to come to me quickly, ¹⁰for Demas, because he loved this present world, has forsaken me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for ministry.

Many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, ²an account like those handed down to us by those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word from the beginning. ³For this reason, it seemed good to me also, since I followed everything closely from the beginning, to write an orderly account to you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴so that you may know the certainty of the things you were taught.

⁴⁴He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹Look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰He led them out as far as the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹And while he was blessing them, he parted from them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵²So they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³They were continually in the temple courts, praising and blessing God. Amen.