Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Ark Brought into the Temple^(A)

8 Now ^(B)Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, ^(C)that they might bring ^(D)up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion.

⁶ Then the priests ^(A)brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to ^(B)its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, ^(C)under the wings of the cherubim.

¹⁰ And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud ^(A)filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹ so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the ^(B)glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication^(A)

²² Then Solomon stood before ^(B)the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and ^(C)spread out his hands toward heaven; ²³ and he said: “Lord God of Israel, ^(D)there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, ^(E)who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who ^(F)walk before You with all their hearts. ²⁴ You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. ²⁵ Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ^(G)‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ ^26 (H)And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.

²⁷ “But ^(I)will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the ^(J)heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! ²⁸ Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: ²⁹ that Your eyes may be open toward this ^[a]temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ^(K)‘My name shall be ^(L)there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes ^(M)toward this place. ^30 (N)And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

⁴¹ “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake ⁴² (for they will hear of Your great name and Your ^(A)strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, ⁴³ hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, ^(B)that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and ^(C)fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God

To the Chief Musician. ^(A)On^[a] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ^11 (A)Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the ^[a]wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ^(B)principalities, against powers, against ^(C)the rulers of ^[b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ^13 (D)Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand ^(E)in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, ^(F)having girded your waist with truth, ^(G)having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ^15 (H)and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking ^(I)the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And ^(J)take the helmet of salvation, and ^(K)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ^18 (L)praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, ^(M)being watchful to this end with all perseverance and ^(N)supplication for all the saints— ¹⁹ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, ^(O)that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which ^(P)I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

⁵⁶ He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood ^(A)abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ^58 (B)This is the bread which came down from heaven—not ^(C)as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

⁵⁹ These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away

^60 (D)Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a ^[a]hard saying; who can understand it?”

⁶¹ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples ^[b]complained about this, He said to them, “Does this ^[c]offend you? ^62 (E)What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ^63 (F)It is the Spirit who gives life; the ^(G)flesh profits nothing. The ^(H)words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴ But ^(I)there are some of you who do not believe.” For ^(J)Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵ And He said, “Therefore ^(K)I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

^66 (L)From that time many of His disciples went ^[d]back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

⁶⁸ But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have ^(M)the words of eternal life. ^69 (N)Also we have come to believe and know that You are the ^[e]Christ, the Son of the living God.”