Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
34 So Samuel departed to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house, to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel no longer came to see Saul until the day of his death. But Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD regretted that He made Saul king over Israel.
16 The LORD then said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have cast him away from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and come. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? For if Saul shall hear it, he will kill me.” Then the LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to do Sacrifice to the LORD.’
3 “And call Jesse to the Sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint to Me him whom I name for you.”
4 So Samuel did what the LORD told him and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town were astonished at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he answered, “Yea, I have come to do Sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the Sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the Sacrifice.
6 And when they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance, or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For I see not as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD beholds the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah come. And he said, “Nor has the LORD chosen him.”
10 Again, Jesse made his seven sons come before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has chosen none of these.”
11 Finally, Samuel said to Jesse, “Are there no more children?” And he said, “There remains yet a little one who keeps the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down until he has come here.”
12 And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy with beautiful eyes, and handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise! Anoint him. For this is he.”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
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.
6 Therefore we are always bold; although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, and not by sight.
8 Nevertheless, we are bold, and are well-pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore also, we desire eagerly, whether present or absent, to be acceptable to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive the things done through the body, according to what he has done, whether good or evil.
11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade man and are made manifest to God. And I trust also that we are made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we do not commend ourselves to you again but give you an occasion to exult on our behalf, so that you may have an answer toward those who rejoice in appearance, and not in the heart.
13 For if we are out of our wits, we are so to God: or if we are in our right minds, we are so to you.
14 For the love of Christ constrains us,
15 because we thus judge: that if One is dead for all, then were all dead. And He died for all, so that those who live, should henceforth no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, henceforth we consider no one according to the flesh. Yea, even though we had known Christ according to the flesh, we do so no more.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
26 Also He said, “So is the Kingdom of God: as if a man should cast seed in the ground
27 “and should sleep and rise up night and day. And the seed should spring and grow up, he not knowing how.
28 “For the Earth brings forth fruit from itself; first the blade, then the ears; after that, full corn in the ears.
29 “And as soon as the fruit shows itself, he puts in the sickle to it. Because the harvest has come.”
30 He said moreover, “To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God? Or, with what shall we compare it?
31 “It is like a grain of mustard seed; which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds on the Earth.
32 “But after it is sown, it grows up and is greatest of all herbs and bears great branches. So that the birds of the heaven may build under the shadow of it.”
33 And with many such parables He preached the Word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 And He spoke nothing to them without parables. But He expounded all things to His disciples separately.
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