Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

^[a] Of David, when he ^(A)changed his behaviour before ^(B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

²⁰ Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. ²¹ And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. ^(A)I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. ²² Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” ²³ He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. ²⁴ Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it, ²⁵ and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

The Example of Christ

15 ^(A)We who are strong ^(B)have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ^2 (C)Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. ³ For ^(D)Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ^(E)“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ⁴ For ^(F)whatever was written in former days was written for our ^(G)instruction, that through endurance and through ^(H)the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you ^(I)to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify ^(J)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.