Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God the Supreme King

The Completion of the Work^(A)

³² All the work on the Tent of the Lord's presence was finally completed. The Israelites made everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ They brought to Moses the Tent and all its equipment, its hooks, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases; ³⁴ the covering of rams' skin dyed red; the covering of fine leather; the curtain; ³⁵ the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets, its poles, and its lid; ³⁶ the table and all its equipment, and the bread offered to God; ³⁷ the lampstand of pure gold, its lamps, all its equipment, and the oil for the lamps; ³⁸ the gold altar; the anointing oil; the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance of the Tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its equipment; the washbasin and its base; ⁴⁰ the curtains for the enclosure and its posts and bases; the curtain for the entrance of the enclosure and its ropes; the Tent pegs; all the equipment to be used in the Tent; ⁴¹ and the magnificent garments the priests were to wear in the Holy Place—the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and for his sons. ⁴² The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴³ Moses examined everything and saw that they had made it all just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

The Death of John the Baptist^(A)

14 At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus. ² “He is really John the Baptist, who has come back to life,” he told his officials. “That is why he has this power to perform miracles.”

^3 (B)For Herod had earlier ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. He had done this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. ^4 (C)For some time John the Baptist had told Herod, “It isn't right for you to be married to Herodias!” ⁵ Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the Jewish people, because they considered John to be a prophet.

⁶ On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced in front of the whole group. Herod was so pleased ⁷ that he promised her, “I swear that I will give you anything you ask for!”

⁸ At her mother's suggestion she asked him, “Give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!”

⁹ The king was sad, but because of the promise he had made in front of all his guests he gave orders that her wish be granted. ¹⁰ So he had John beheaded in prison. ¹¹ The head was brought in on a plate and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. ¹² John's disciples came, carried away his body, and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.