Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Troubles in Mishandling the Ark^(A)

6 After this, David gathered together again 30,000 men from all of the choicest men of Israel. ² Then David and all the people with him set out from Baal-judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, who is called the Name, the name of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, and who is enthroned on the cherubim. ³ They mounted the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home in Gibeah,^[a] with Abinadab’s sons Uzzah and Ahio^[b] driving the new cart. ⁴ As they left Abinadab’s house in Gibeah accompanied by the Ark of God, Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. ⁵ David and the entire assembly^[c] of Israel were dancing in the presence of the Lord with all of their strength, accompanied by all sorts of wood instruments,^[d] harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

¹² Later on, David was informed, “The Lord has blessed the home of Obed-edom and everything he has since he’s in possession^[a] of the Ark of God.” So David went out joyfully and brought up the Ark of God to the City of David from Obed-edom’s home. ¹³ After those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed oxen and fattened animals, ¹⁴ dancing in front of the Lord with all of his strength and wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and the entire assembly^[b] of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and trumpet blasts.

David’s Wife Michal Disrespects David’s Worship

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was coming into the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David jumping and dancing in the Lord’s presence, and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ They brought in the ark of the Lord, set it in place inside the tent that David had erected for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings in the presence of the Lord.

¹⁸ After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies ¹⁹ and distributed to all the people—the entire multitude of Israel, including both men and women—a cake made of bread, one made of dates, and one made of raisins to each one. Then all the people left, each headed for home.

A Davidic Psalm.

A Song for the King of Glory

The Many Blessings of Salvation

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah!^[a] He has blessed us in the Messiah^[b] with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, ⁴ just as he chose us in the Messiah^[c] before the creation of the universe^[d] to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus the Messiah,^[e] according to the pleasure of his will, ⁶ so that we would praise^[f] his glorious grace that he gave us in the Beloved One. ⁷ In union with him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of God’s^[g] grace ⁸ that he lavished on us, along with all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ when he made known to us the secret of his will. This was according to his plan that he set forth in the Messiah^{[h] 10} to usher in^[i] the fullness of the times and to bring together in the Messiah^[j] all things in heaven and on earth.

¹¹ In the Messiah^[k] we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything that he wills to do, ¹² so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah^[l] might live for his praise and glory. ¹³ You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in the Messiah,^[m] you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until God redeems his own possession^[n] for his praise and glory.

The Death of John the Baptist^(A)

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this, because Jesus’^[a] name had become well-known. He was^[b] saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That’s why he is able to do these miracles.”

¹⁵ Others were saying, “He is Elijah.”

Still others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the other^[c] prophets.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard about it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised,” ¹⁷ because Herod himself had sent men who arrested^[d] John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom Herod^[e] had married.

¹⁸ John had been telling Herod, “It’s not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias bore a grudge against John^[f] and wanted to kill him. But she couldn’t do it ²⁰ because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John^[g] was a righteous and holy man, and so he protected him. Whenever he listened to John,^[h] he did much of what he said.^[i] In fact, he liked listening to him.

²¹ An opportunity came during Herod’s birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias^[j] came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ He swore with an oath to her, “I’ll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴ So she went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”

Her mother^[k] replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”

²⁵ Immediately the girl^[l] hurried back to the king with her request, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was deeply saddened, yet because of his oaths and his guests he was reluctant to refuse her. ²⁷ So without delay the king sent a soldier and ordered him to bring John’s^[m] head. The soldier^[n] went and beheaded him in prison. ²⁸ Then he brought John’s^[o] head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When John’s^[p] disciples heard about this, they came and carried off his body and laid it in a tomb.