Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Psalm of Praise

Goliath Challenges the Israelis

17 The Philistines assembled their army for battle. They were assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the Israelis assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they set up their forces to meet the Philistines. ³ The Philistines were standing on the hill on one side while the Israelis were standing on the hill on the other side, with the valley between them.

⁴ A champion named Goliath from Gath came out from the Philistine camp. He was four cubits and a span^[a] tall, ⁵ wore a bronze helmet on his head, and wore bronze scale armor that weighed about 5,000 shekels.^{[b] 6} He had bronze armor on his legs^[c] and carried a bronze javelin slung^[d] between his shoulders. ⁷ The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and the iron point of his spear weighed 600 shekels.^[e] A man carrying his shield walked in front of him.

⁸ He stood still and called out to the ranks of Israel, “Why should you move into position for battle? Am I not a Philistine and you Saul’s servants? Choose a man for yourselves to come down against me. ⁹ If he’s able to fight me and strike me down, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will become our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰ The Philistine said, “I defy^[f] the ranks of Israel today. Send me one man and let’s fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all the Israelis heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very frightened.

David Comes to the Camp

¹² David was the son of that Ephrathite man named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons; at the time when Saul was king he was old, having lived to an advanced age. ¹³ The three oldest sons of Jesse followed Saul into battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were his firstborn Eliab, Abinadab, his second son, and Shammah, the third. ¹⁴ David was the youngest, while the three oldest had followed Saul. ¹⁵ And David would go back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. ¹⁶ For 40 days the Philistine would come forward, morning and evening, to take his position.

¹⁷ Jesse told his son David, “Take this ephah^[g] of roasted grain to your brothers, along with these ten loaves of bread, and quickly take them to your brothers in the camp. ¹⁸ Take these ten pieces of cheese to the commander of the unit,^[h] check on the well-being of your brothers, and bring something back from them. ¹⁹ Saul, your brothers,^[i] and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.” ²⁰ David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the supplies,^[j] and went as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the encampment^[k] as the army was going out to the battle line, shouting the battle cry.

David Hears Goliath’s Challenge

²¹ Israel and the Philistines moved into position for battle, battle line facing battle line. ²² David left the supplies he had with him in the care of the supply keeper and ran to the battle line. When he arrived there, he asked his brothers about their well-being. ²³ As he was speaking with them, the Philistine champion named Goliath from Gath came up from the Philistine battle lines and spoke his usual words,^[l] as David listened.

The Apostles Perform Many Miracles

¹² Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ None of the others dared join them, although the rest of the people continued to hold them in high regard. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, believers were being added to the Lord in increasing numbers—both men and women. ¹⁵ As a result, people^[a] kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he went by. ¹⁶ Crowds continued coming in—even from the towns around Jerusalem—bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.