Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” (A)And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the (B)woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and (C)his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.
15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.
31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”
32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”
David’s Mourning for Absalom
33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: (A)“O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, (B)my son!”
Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out (A)of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3 (B)If You, Lord, should [a]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (C)stand?
4 But there is (D)forgiveness with You,
That (E)You may be feared.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25 Therefore, putting away lying, (A)“Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for (B)we are members of one another. 26 (C)“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 (D)nor give [a]place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather (E)let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something (F)to give him who has need. 29 (G)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but (H)what is good for necessary [b]edification, (I)that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And (J)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 (K)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [c]clamor, and (L)evil speaking be put away from you, (M)with all malice. 32 And (N)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (O)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
5 Therefore(P) be imitators of God as dear (Q)children. 2 And (R)walk in love, (S)as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (T)for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Rejected by His Own
41 The Jews then [a]complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 And they said, (A)“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, [b]“Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 (B)No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me (C)draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, (D)‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ (E)Therefore everyone who [c]has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 (F)Not that anyone has seen the Father, (G)except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, (H)he who believes [d]in Me has everlasting life. 48 (I)I am the bread of life. 49 (J)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 (K)This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread (L)which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and (M)the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.