Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

20 The LORD hear you on the day of trouble. The Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

² send you help from the Sanctuary and strengthen you out of Zion.

³ Let Him remember all your offerings and turn your burnt offerings into ashes. Selah.

⁴ Grant you according to your heart and fulfill all your purpose,

⁵ so that we may rejoice in your salvation—and set up the banner in the Name of our God—when the LORD shall perform all your petitions.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD will help His anointed; and will hear him from His Sanctuary, by the mighty help of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses. But we will remember the Name of the LORD our God.

⁸ They are brought down and fallen. But we are risen and stand upright.

⁹ Save, LORD! Let the king hear us on the day that we call! To him who excels: A Psalm of David.

13 Saul now had been king for one year. And he reigned over Israel for two years.

² Then Saul chose for himself three thousand of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and on Mount Bethel. And a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each man to his tent.

³ And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was on the hill. And the Philistines’ heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Hear, O you Hebrews!”

⁴ And all Israel heard say, “Saul has destroyed a garrison of the Philistines!” Therefore, Israel was made abhorrent to the Philistines. And the people gathered together with Saul to Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines also gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen. For the people were like the sand which is by the seaside in multitude, and came up and camped in Michmash, eastward from Beth Aven.

⁶ And when the men of Israel saw that they were in distress (for the people were oppressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holds and in rocks and in towers and in pits.

⁷ And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan, to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people, for fear followed him.

⁸ And he waited for seven days, according to the time that Samuel had appointed. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal. Therefore, the people were scattered from him.

⁹ And Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings.” And he offered a burnt offering.

¹⁰ And as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went forth to meet him, to greet him.

¹¹ And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Then Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you had not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together to Michmash,

¹² “therefore I said, ‘The Philistines will come down now upon me, to Gilgal. And I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ I was bold, therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly! You have not kept the Commandment of the LORD your [j]God, which He Commanded you! For the LORD had now established your kingdom upon Israel forever.

¹⁴ “But now, your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after his own heart. And the LORD has Commanded him to be Governor over His people, because you have not kept that which the LORD had Commanded you.”

¹⁵ And Samuel arose and got himself up from Gilgal in Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul counted the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

4 And He began again to teach by the seaside. And there gathered to Him a great multitude. So that He entered into a ship and sat in the sea. And all the people were by the seaside, on the land.

² And He taught them many things in parables, and said to them in His doctrine,

³ “Hear now. Behold, there went out a sower to sow.

⁴ “And it happened that, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And the birds of the heaven came and devoured it up.

⁵ “And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth. And it quickly sprang up, because it had not depth of earth.

⁶ “But as soon as the Sun was up, it was burnt up. And because it had no root, it withered away.

⁷ “And some fell among the thorns. And the thorns grew up and choked it, so that it gave no fruit.

⁸ “Some again fell in good ground, and did yield fruit, that sprang up and grew. And it brought forth - some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold.”

⁹ Then He said to them, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

¹⁰ And when He was alone, those who were around Him, with the twelve, asked Him of the parable.

¹¹ And He said to them, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

¹² “So that those seeing may see, and not discern. And those hearing may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them.”

¹³ Again He said to them, “Do you not perceive this parable? How then shall you understand all other parables?

¹⁴ “The sower sows the Word.

¹⁵ “And these are those who receive the seed by the wayside, in whom the Word is sown. But when they have heard it, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.

¹⁶ “And likewise, those who receive the seed in stony ground are those who (when they have heard the Word) immediately receive it with gladness.

¹⁷ “Yet they have no root in themselves and endure but a time. For when trouble and persecution arise for the word, they fall away immediately.

¹⁸ “Also those who receive the seed among the thorns, are those who hear the Word,

¹⁹ “but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things enter in and choke the Word. And it is unfruitful.

²⁰ “But those who have received seed in good ground, are those who hear the Word and receive it and bring forth fruit - one corn thirty, another sixty, and some a hundred.”