Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Prayer to Be Kept Safe

20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe. ² May He send you help from the house of God, and give you strength from Zion. ³ May He remember all your gifts of grain given on the altar in worship. And may He be pleased with your burnt gifts.

⁴ May He give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans go well. ⁵ We will sing for joy when you win. In the name of our God we will lift up our flags. May the Lord give you all the things you ask Him for.

⁶ Now I know that the Lord saves His chosen one. He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving power of His right hand. ⁷ Some trust in wagons and some in horses. But we will trust in the name of the Lord, our God. ⁸ They have fallen on their knees. But we rise up and stand straight. ⁹ O Lord, save! May the King answer us when we call.

War with the Philistines

13 Saul was forty years old when he began to rule. He ruled over Israel thirty-two years. ² Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel. There were 2,000 of them with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel. And 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. ³ Jonathan destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul sounded the horn through all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” ⁴ All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were. And they heard that Israel had become a hated thing to the Philistines. Then the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, with 30,000 war-wagons, 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand on the sea shore. They came and set up their tents at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. ⁶ The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble. The people were in a place of danger. So the people hid themselves in caves, bushes, hill-sides, graves and wells. ⁷ Some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him in fear.

⁸ Saul waited seven days, the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people were leaving him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt gift and the peace gifts.” And he gave the burnt gift to the Lord. ¹⁰ As soon as he finished giving the burnt gift, Samuel came. Saul went out to meet him and say hello. ¹¹ But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “I saw that the people were leaving me. You did not come when you said you would. And the Philistines were gathering at Michmash. ¹² So I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor.’ So I made myself give the burnt gift.” ¹³ Samuel said to Saul, “You have done a foolish act. You have not kept the Law that the Lord your God gave you. For now the Lord would have made your rule over Israel last forever. ¹⁴ But now your rule will not last. The Lord has found a man who is pleasing to him in every way. He has chosen him to rule over his people, because you have not obeyed the Lord.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people that were left with him, about 600 men.

The Picture-Story of the Man Who Planted Seed ^(A)

4 Jesus began to teach by the sea-shore again. Many people gathered around Him. There were so many He had to get into a boat and sit down. The people were on the shore. ² He taught them many things by using picture-stories. As He taught, He said, ³ “Listen! A man went out to plant seed. ⁴ As he planted the seed, some fell by the side of the road. Birds came and ate them. ⁵ Some seed fell among rocks. It came up at once because there was so little ground. ⁶ But it dried up when the sun was high in the sky because it had no root. ⁷ Some seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seed room to grow. This seed gave no grain. ⁸ Some seed fell on good ground. It came up and grew and gave much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain.” ⁹ He said to them, “You have ears, then listen!” ¹⁰ Those who were with Jesus and the twelve followers came to Him when He was alone. They asked about the picture-story. ¹¹ He said to them, “You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Everything is told in picture-stories to those who are outside the holy nation of God. ¹² They see, but do not know what it means. They hear, but do not understand. If they did, they might turn to God and have their sins forgiven.” ^(B)

Jesus Tells about the Man Who Planted the Seed

¹³ Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this picture-story? Then how will you understand any of the picture-stories? ¹⁴ What the man plants is the Word of God. ¹⁵ Those by the side of the road are the ones who hear the Word. As soon as they hear it, the devil comes and takes away the Word that is planted in their hearts. ¹⁶ The seed that fell among rocks is like people who receive the Word with joy when they hear it. ¹⁷ Their roots are not deep so they live only a short time. When sorrow and trouble come because of the Word, they give up and fall away. ¹⁸ The seed that was planted among thorns is like some people who listen to the Word. ¹⁹ But the cares of this life let thorns come up. A love for riches and always wanting other things let thorns grow. These things do not give the Word room to grow so it does not give grain. ²⁰ The seed that fell on good ground is like people who hear the Word and understand it. They give much grain. Some give thirty times as much grain. Some give sixty times as much grain. Some give one hundred times as much grain.”