Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

David Learns About Saul’s Death

1 Now Saul was dead. After David had ·defeated [slaughtered; been victorious over] the Amalekites, he returned to Ziklag and stayed there two days.

David’s Song About Saul and Jonathan

¹⁷ David ·sang [chanted; intoned; or composed] a ·funeral song [lament] ·about [over] Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this song. It is called “The Bow,” and it is written in the Book of Jashar [^Can ancient record of heroic deeds, now lost; Josh. 10:13]:

A Prayer for Mercy

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; ^Cperhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].

⁷ You ·are rich [excel] in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in ·truly wanting to help [eagerness; zeal], and in the love ·you learned [^Lthat is in you] from us.^[a] In the same way, ·be strong [excel] also in the grace of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you to give. But I want to ·see [test; prove] if your love is true by comparing you with ·others that really want to help [^Lthe zeal/eagerness of others]. ⁹ [^LFor] You know the ·grace [gift] of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.

¹⁰ This is ·what I think you should do [^Lmy opinion on this matter for your benefit]: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave. ¹¹ So now finish the work you started. Then your ·“doing” [^Lcompletion] will be equal to your ·“wanting to do” [eager desire]. Give from what you have. ¹² If you ·want [are eager/willing] to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have. ¹³ [^LFor] We do not want you to have ·troubles [hardships; trials] while other people ·are at ease [have relief], but we want everything to be equal [^Cgiving is not intended to impoverish the giver, but to distribute God’s resources]. ¹⁴ At this time ·you have plenty and what you have [^Lyour abundance] can help others who are in need. ·Then later, when they have plenty, they [or In the same way, their abundance] can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal [^CPaul may be saying, (1) that the Jerusalem church may one day reciprocate by helping the Corinthians financially; or, (2) that the Corinthians’ financial gift will be reciprocated through Jerusalem’s spiritual gifts]. ¹⁵ As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little [Ex. 16:18].”

Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman^(A)

²¹ When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. ²² A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and ·fell [bowed; knelt] at his feet. ²³ He begged Jesus, ·saying again and again [earnestly saying], “My daughter is dying. Please come and ·put [lay] your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him. ²⁵ Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years [^Cprobably a chronic menstrual disorder]. ²⁶ She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse. ²⁷ When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his ·coat [cloak; garment]. ²⁸ [^LFor] She ·thought [said], “If I can just touch his clothes, I will ·be healed [get well; be saved].” ²⁹ Instantly her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease.

³⁰ At once Jesus ·felt [perceived] power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ His ·followers [disciples] said, “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

³² But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him. ³³ The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth. ³⁴ Jesus said to her, “·Dear woman [^LDaughter], ·you are made well because you believed [your faith has saved/healed you]. Go in peace; be healed of your disease.”

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. ·There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.” [^LWhy trouble the teacher anymore?”]

³⁶ But Jesus ·paid no attention to [or overheard] what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

³⁷ Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. ³⁸ When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and ·crying loudly [^Lweeping and wailing loudly]. ³⁹ Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you ·crying [weeping] and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” ⁴⁰ But they ·laughed at [ridiculed] him. So, after ·throwing [putting] them [^Lall] out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was. ⁴¹ Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means [^Cin Aramaic, the language Jesus commonly spoke], “Little girl, I tell you to stand up!”) ⁴² At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. ⁴³ Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat.