Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

6 David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim. ³ They set God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house that was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. ⁴ They brought it out of Abinadab’s house which was in the hill, with God’s ark; and Ahio went before the ark. ⁵ David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals.

¹² King David was told, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that belongs to him, because of God’s ark.”

So David went and brought up God’s ark from the house of Obed-Edom into David’s city with joy. ¹³ When those who bore Yahweh’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel brought up Yahweh’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶ As Yahweh’s ark came into David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ They brought in Yahweh’s ark, and set it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies. ¹⁹ He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house.

A Psalm by David.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, ⁵ having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him ¹⁰ to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him. ¹¹ We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will, ¹² to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. ¹³ In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

¹⁴ King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵ But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.” ¹⁶ But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, ²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

²¹ Then a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ He swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”

²⁵ She came in immediately with haste to the king and requested, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded to bring John’s head; and he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.

²⁹ When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.