Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

111 ^1-2 Hallelujah! I want to express publicly before his people my heartfelt thanks to God for his mighty miracles. All who are thankful should ponder them with me. ³ For his miracles demonstrate his honor, majesty, and eternal goodness.

⁴ Who can forget the wonders he performs—deeds of mercy and of grace? ⁵ He gives food to those who trust him; he never forgets his promises. ⁶ He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the land of Israel, though it was the home of many nations living there. ⁷ All he does is just and good, and all his laws are right, ⁸ for they are formed from truth and goodness and stand firm forever. ⁹ He has paid a full ransom for his people; now they are always free to come to Jehovah (what a holy, awe-inspiring name that is).

¹⁰ How can men be wise? The only way to begin is by reverence for God. For growth in wisdom comes from obeying his laws. Praise his name forever.

1 In his old age King David was confined to his bed; but no matter how many blankets were heaped upon him, he was always cold.

² “The cure for this,” his aides told him, “is to find a young virgin to be your concubine and nurse. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”

^3-4 So they searched the country from one end to the other to find the most beautiful girl in all the land. Abishag, from Shunam, was finally selected. They brought her to the king, and she lay in his arms to warm him (but he had no sexual relations with her).

⁵ At about that time, David’s son^[a] Adonijah (his mother was Haggith) decided to crown himself king in place of his aged father. So he hired chariots and drivers and recruited fifty men to run down the streets before him as royal footmen. ⁶ Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time—not so much as by a single scolding! He was a very handsome man and was Absalom’s younger brother. ⁷ He took General Joab and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. ⁸ But among those who remained loyal to King David and refused to endorse Adonijah were the priests Zadok and Benaiah, the prophet Nathan, Shimei, Rei, and David’s army chiefs.

⁹ Adonijah went to En-rogel where he sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fat young goats at the Serpent’s Stone. Then he summoned all of his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah, requesting that they come to his coronation. ¹⁰ But he didn’t invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the loyal army officers, or his brother Solomon.

¹¹ Then Nathan the prophet went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Do you realize that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, is now the king and that our lord David doesn’t even know about it? ¹² If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon—do exactly as I say! ¹³ Go at once to King David and ask him, ‘My lord, didn’t you promise me that my son Solomon would be the next king and would sit upon your throne? Then why is Adonijah reigning?’ ¹⁴ And while you are still talking with him, I’ll come and confirm everything you’ve said.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. He was an old, old man now, and Abishag was caring for him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed low before him.

“What do you want?” he asked her.

¹⁷ She replied, “My lord, you vowed to me by the Lord your God that my son Solomon would be the next king and would sit upon your throne. ¹⁸ But instead, Adonijah is the new king, and you don’t even know about it. ¹⁹ He has celebrated his coronation by sacrificing oxen, fat goats, and many sheep and has invited all your sons and Abiathar the priest and General Joab. But he didn’t invite Solomon. ²⁰ And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for your decision as to whether Adonijah is the one you have chosen to succeed you. ²¹ If you don’t act, my son Solomon and I will be arrested and executed as criminals as soon as you are dead.”

^22-23 While she was speaking, the king’s aides told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”

Nathan came in and bowed low before the king, ²⁴ and asked, “My lord, have you appointed Adonijah to be the next king? Is he the one you have selected to sit upon your throne? ²⁵ Today he celebrated his coronation by sacrificing oxen, fat goats, and many sheep, and has invited your sons to attend the festivities. He also invited General Joab and Abiathar the priest; and they are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶ But Zadok the priest and Benaiah and Solomon and I weren’t invited. ²⁷ Has this been done with your knowledge? For you haven’t said a word as to which of your sons you have chosen to be the next king.”

²⁸ “Call Bathsheba,” David said. So she came back in and stood before the king.

²⁹ And the king vowed, “As the Lord lives who has rescued me from every danger, ³⁰ I decree that your son Solomon shall be the next king and shall sit upon my throne, just as I swore to you before by the Lord God of Israel.”

⁸ Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit’s power,^[a] did spectacular miracles among the people.

⁹ But one day some of the men from the Jewish cult of “The Freedmen” started an argument with him, and they were soon joined by Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria in Egypt, and the Turkish provinces of Cilicia, and Asia Minor. ¹⁰ But none of them was able to stand against Stephen’s wisdom and spirit.

¹¹ So they brought in some men to lie about him, claiming they had heard Stephen curse Moses, and even God.

¹² This accusation roused the crowds to fury against Stephen, and the Jewish leaders^[b] arrested him and brought him before the Council. ¹³ The lying witnesses testified again that Stephen was constantly speaking against the Temple and against the laws of Moses.

¹⁴ They declared, “We have heard him say that this fellow Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and throw out all of Moses’ laws.” ¹⁵ At this point everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!