Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

6 ^(A)David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from ^(B)Baale-judah ^(C)to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts ^(D)who sits enthroned on the cherubim. ³ And they carried the ark of God ^(E)on a new cart and brought it ^(F)out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,^[a] the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, ⁴ with the ark of God,^[b] and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

⁵ And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with ^(G)songs^[c] and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

¹² And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” ^(A)So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom ^(B)to the city of David with rejoicing. ¹³ And when ^(C)those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ^(D)he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. ¹⁴ And David ^(E)danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was ^(F)wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

David and Michal

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it ^(G)in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. ^(H)And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, ^(I)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts ¹⁹ and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,^[a] and a cake of raisins to each one. ^(J)Then all the people departed, each to his house.

The King of Glory

A Psalm of David.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

^3 (A)Blessed be ^(B)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing ^(C)in the heavenly places, ^4 (D)even as he ^(E)chose us in him ^(F)before the foundation of the world, that we should be ^(G)holy and blameless before him. In love ^5 (H)he predestined us^[a] for ^(I)adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, ^(J)according to the purpose of his will, ^6 (K)to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in ^(L)the Beloved. ^7 (M)In him we have ^(N)redemption ^(O)through his blood, ^(P)the forgiveness of our trespasses, ^(Q)according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ^9 (R)making known^[b] to us the mystery of his will, ^(S)according to his purpose, which he ^(T)set forth in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for ^(U)the fullness of time, ^(V)to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

¹¹ In him we have obtained ^(W)an inheritance, ^(X)having been predestined ^(Y)according to the purpose of him who works all things according to ^(Z)the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be ^(AA)to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard ^(AB)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, ^(AC)were sealed with the ^(AD)promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is ^(AE)the guarantee^[c] of our ^(AF)inheritance until ^(AG)we acquire ^(AH)possession of it,^{[d] (AI)}to the praise of his glory.

The Death of John the Baptist

^14 (A)King Herod heard of it, for Jesus'^[a] name had become known. Some^[b] said, ^(B)“John the Baptist^[c] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ^15 (C)But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is ^(D)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” ^17 (E)For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and ^(F)bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. ^18 (G)For John had been saying to Herod, ^(H)“It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” ¹⁹ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, ²⁰ for Herod ^(I)feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he ^(J)heard him gladly.

²¹ But an opportunity came when Herod ^(K)on his birthday ^(L)gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^(M)up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's^[d] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his ^(N)disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.