Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he ^[a]feigned madness before ^[b]Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

¹⁵ Then ^(A)Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “^[a]This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and ^[b]this is what I have counseled. ¹⁶ Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘^(B)Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be ^[c]destroyed.’” ^17 (C)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at ^(D)En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸ But a lad did see them and told Absalom; so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man ^(E)in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down ^[d]into it. ¹⁹ And ^(F)the woman ^[e]took a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known. ²⁰ Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And ^(G)the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “^(H)Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” ²² Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by ^[f]dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.

²³ Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not ^[g]followed, he ^[h]saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to ^(I)his city, and ^[i](J)set his house in order, and ^(K)strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

²⁴ Then David came to ^(L)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵ Absalom set ^(M)Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was ^[j]Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of ^(N)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi ^(O)the son of Nahash from ^(P)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, ^(Q)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and ^(R)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, ²⁸ brought ^(S)beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, ²⁹ honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, ^(T)to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 ^(A)Brethren, even if ^[a]anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are ^(B)spiritual, ^(C)restore such a one ^(D)in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. ^2 (E)Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill ^(F)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(G)if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each one must ^(H)examine his own work, and then he will have reason for ^(I)boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. ⁵ For ^(J)each one will bear his own load.

^6 (K)The one who is taught ^(L)the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. ^7 (M)Do not be deceived, ^(N)God is not mocked; for ^(O)whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. ^8 (P)For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap ^(Q)corruption, but ^(R)the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ^9 (S)Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we ^(T)do not grow weary. ¹⁰ So then, ^[b](U)while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the ^(V)household of ^(W)the faith.