Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Samuel’s Call
3 The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence.(A) In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.(B)
2 One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing,(C) was lying in his room. 3 Before the lamp of God had gone out,(D) Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel,[a] and he answered, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!”
Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder.(A) 12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end.(B) 13 I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are defiling the sanctuary,[a] and he has not stopped them.(C) 14 Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.”(D)
15 Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
“Here I am,” answered Samuel.
17 “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.”(E) 18 So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. He will do what He thinks is good.”[b](F)
19 Samuel grew,(G) and the Lord was with him,(H) and He fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied.[c](I) 20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord.(J)
Psalm 139
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.(A)
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
You understand my thoughts from far away.(B)
3 You observe my travels and my rest;
You are aware of all my ways.(C)
4 Before a word is on my tongue,
You know all about it, Lord.(D)
5 You have encircled me;
You have placed Your hand on me.(E)
6 This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.(F)
13 For it was You who created my inward parts;[a]
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.(A)
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.[b][c]
Your works are wonderful,
and I know this very well.(B)
15 My bones were not hidden from You
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.(C)
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in Your book and planned
before a single one of them began.(D)
5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,(A) and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”(B) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge(C) of God’s glory(D) in the face of Jesus Christ.
Treasure in Clay Jars
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power(E) may be from God and not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus(F) in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are always given over to death(G) because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
Lord of the Sabbath
23 On(A) the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples(B) began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees(C) said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful(D) on the Sabbath?”
25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David(E) and those who were with him did when he was in need(F) and hungry(G)— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar(H) the high priest(I) and ate the sacred bread(J)—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests(K)—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for[a] man and not man for[b] the Sabbath.(L) 28 Therefore, the Son of Man(M) is Lord(N) even of the Sabbath.”(O)
The Man with the Paralyzed Hand
3 Now(P) He entered the synagogue(Q) again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed(R) hand. 2 In order to accuse(S) Him, they were watching Him closely(T) to see whether He would heal(U) him on the Sabbath.(V) 3 He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.”[c] 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful(W) on the Sabbath to do what is good(X) or to do what is evil,(Y) to save life(Z) or to kill?”(AA) But they were silent.(AB) 5 After looking around at them with anger(AC) and sorrow at the hardness(AD) of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.(AE) 6 Immediately the Pharisees(AF) went out and started plotting(AG) with the Herodians(AH) against Him, how they might destroy(AI) Him.
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