Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Chapter 17
David and Goliath. 1 The Philistines assembled their armies, and they were gathered at Socoh in Judah. They were camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
4 Then a champion named Goliath of Gath came forth out of the camp of the Philistines. He was six cubits and a span high.[a] 5 He wore a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore armor, a coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 On his legs he wore bronze leg armor, and he had a bronze javelin slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of the spear weighed six hundred iron shekels. His shield-bearer walked before him.
8 He stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, “Why do you not come out arrayed in battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your slaves. But if I defeat and kill him, then you will be our slaves and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today. Give me a man so that we can fight each other.”
11 When Saul and all of Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were dismayed and terrified.
19 They and Saul and all of the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah fighting against the Philistines. 20 David rose early the next morning, left the sheep with someone to tend them, took the things and left as Jesse had instructed him. He came to the outskirts of the camp just as the army was going forth into battle, shouting their war cries. 21 Israel and the Philistines were lined up for battle, one army facing the other. 22 David left his things in the care of the keeper of supplies. He ran to the battle line and came to his brothers whom he greeted.
23 As he was talking with them, Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines, came forth from the Philistine lines, and he shouted the same taunt, and David heard it.
32 David Accepts the Challenge. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of him. Your servant will go out and fight with this Philistine.” 33 Saul said to David, “You cannot go out against the Philistine and fight with him. You are only a boy, and he has been a warrior since he was young.” 34 David said to Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and carry a lamb away from the flock, 35 I would chase after it and strike it and rescue it from out of its mouth. When it would rise up against me, I would seize it by its fur and strike and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lion and bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has defied the army of the living God.” 37 David continued, “The Lord who has delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me out of the hands of this Philistine.” Saul then said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
38 David Prepares for the Encounter. Saul dressed David in his own armor. He put a bronze helmet on his head and covered him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword over his armor, and he tried to walk around in it, but he was not used to it. David said to Saul, “No! I cannot walk in these, because I am not used to them.” David then took them off.
40 He took his staff in his hand, and he chose five smooth stones from out of the stream. He put them in a pouch in his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
41 David’s Victory. Meanwhile, the Philistine drew nearer to David, his shield-bearer preceding him. 42 The Philistine looked David over, and he held him in contempt, for he was only a youth, ruddy, and handsome. 43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come out to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come over to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin. I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 The Lord will deliver you into my hands today. I will strike you down and take off your head. Today I will give the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Thus, everyone on the earth will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All of those who are gathered in assembly here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you over into our hands.”
48 When the Philistine got up and approached David, David ran quickly to meet the Philistine in battle. 49 David reached into his bag and pulled out a stone. He launched it with the sling and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell face first to the earth.
57 When David returned after having killed the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “Your servant is the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite.”
Chapter 18
David and Jonathan. 1 When David finished speaking with Saul, David’s soul was bonded with Jonathan’s soul. Jonathan loved him more than he loved himself. 2 From that day on, Saul would not permit him to return to his father’s house.
3 Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him more than he loved himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, even giving him his sword, his bow, and his belt. 5 Whatever Saul sent David to do, he did it so wisely that he placed him in charge of warriors. This pleased all of the people, and even Saul’s servants.
10 The next morning an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied right inside of the house. David played on the harp, as he did every day. In the meantime, Saul had a javelin in his hand.[a] 11 Saul cast the javelin, saying to himself, “I will pin David to the wall,” but David eluded him twice. 12 Saul feared David, for the Lord was with him, but he had departed from Saul.
13 Saul sent him away, giving him command over a thousand men. He would go out and come back publicly. 14 David prospered in everything he did, for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he was very successful, he grew to dread him. 16 But Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came back publicly.
9 He governs the world in righteousness
and judges the peoples with equity.
10 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of distress.
11 Those who revere your name place their trust in you,
for you never abandon those who seek you, O Lord.
12 Sing praise to the Lord enthroned in Zion;[a]
proclaim to the nations his wondrous deeds.
13 For the avenger of blood remembers them;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
14 Have mercy on me, O Lord;
behold how my enemies afflict me,
you who save me from the gates of death.
15 Then I will recount all your praises
and rejoice in your salvation
at the gates of the Daughter of Zion.[b]
16 [c]The nations have fallen into the pit they made;
their feet have been caught in the snare they laid.
17 The Lord has made himself known and rendered judgment;
the wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion,[d] Selah
18 The wicked will depart into the netherworld,
all the nations that turned away from God.
19 But the needy will not be forgotten forever,
nor will the hope of the afflicted ever come to naught.
20 Rise up, O Lord! Do not let man triumph;
let the nations be judged before you.
Psalm 133[a]
The Blessings of Brotherly Accord
1 A song of ascents. Of David.[b]
How wonderful and delightful it is
for brothers to live together in unity.[c]
2 It is like fragrant ointment poured on the head,
running down upon the beard,
running down upon the beard of Aaron,
and flowing on the collar of his robes.[d]
3 It is like the dew of Hermon
falling upon the mountains of Zion.[e]
For there the Lord has bestowed his blessing,
life forevermore.
Chapter 6
1 As his coworkers, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.[a]
Ministers of God. 3 We avoid placing obstacles in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 4 On the contrary, in everything we do we present ourselves as ministers of God: in steadfast perseverance; in afflictions, hardships, and distress; 5 in floggings, imprisonments, and riots; in labors, sleepless nights, and fasts; 6 in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthfulness, and the power of God.
We wield weapons of righteousness with right hand and left,[b] 8 in times of honor or dishonor, praise or insult. We are regarded as impostors, and yet we speak the truth; 9 as unknown men, and nevertheless we are well known; as dying, and behold we live on; as scourged, but we are not put to death; 10 as sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich;[c] as having nothing, and yet we possess everything.
Relations Have Been Established[d]
11 Paul’s Heart Is Wide Open. O Corinthians, we have spoken frankly to you, and we have opened our heart to you. 12 We are not withholding our love from you, but you have withheld yours from us. 13 I speak to you as my children. In return, also open wide your hearts to us.
Jesus Overcomes Evil and Effects Salvation[a]
35 Jesus Calms the Storm.[b] On that day, as evening approached, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 And so, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. Some other boats joined them.
37 Suddenly, a great storm came up, and the waves were crashing over the boat so that it was almost swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They awakened him and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then he stood up and rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so frightened? Are you still without faith?” 41 They were filled with awe and said to one another, “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.”
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