Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
David King over All Israel
5 (A)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and [a]said, “Behold, we are (B)your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, (C)you were the one who led Israel [b]out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘(D)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be (E)a leader over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David (F)made a covenant with them before the Lord in Hebron; then (G)they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was (H)thirty years old when he became king, and (I)he reigned for forty years. 5 At Hebron (J)he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
The Beauty and Glory of Zion.
A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.
48 (A)Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the (B)city of our God, His (C)holy mountain.
2 (D)Beautiful in elevation, (E)the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The (F)city of the great King.
3 In its palaces,
God has made Himself known as a (G)stronghold.
4 For, behold, the (H)kings arrived,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were (I)terrified, they fled in a hurry.
6 [a]Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as that of (J)a woman in childbirth.
7 With the (K)east wind
You (L)smash the (M)ships of Tarshish.
8 Just as we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of armies, in the city of our God;
God will (N)establish her forever. Selah
9 We have thought over (O)Your goodness, God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 As is Your (P)name, God,
So is Your (Q)praise to the ends of the earth;
Your (R)right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Mount (S)Zion shall be glad,
The (T)daughters of Judah shall rejoice
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk around Zion and encircle her;
Count her (U)towers;
13 Consider her (V)ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
So that you may (W)tell of her to the next generation.
14 For [b]such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will (X)lead us [c]until death.
2 I know a man (A)in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, (B)God knows—such a man was (C)caught up to the (D)third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, (E)God knows— 4 was (F)caught up into (G)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 5 (H)In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my (I)weaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be (J)foolish, (K)for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
A Thorn in the Flesh
7 Because of the extraordinary greatness of the (L)revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a (M)thorn in the flesh, a (N)messenger of Satan to [a]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord (O)three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for (P)power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather (Q)boast [b]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore (R)I delight in weaknesses, in [c]insults, in (S)distresses, in (T)persecutions, in (U)difficulties, (V)in behalf of Christ; for (W)when I am weak, then I am strong.
Teaching at Nazareth
6 (A)Jesus went out from there and *came into [a](B)His hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath came, He began (C)to teach in the synagogue; and [b]the (D)many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man learn these things, and what is this wisdom that has been given to Him, and such [c]miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 Is this not (E)the carpenter, (F)the son of Mary and brother of [d]James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are (G)His sisters not here with us?” And they took (H)offense at Him. 4 Jesus said to them, “(I)A prophet is not dishonored except in [e](J)his hometown and among his own relatives, and in his own household.” 5 And He could not do any [f]miracle there except that He (K)laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He was amazed at their unbelief.
(L)And He was going around the villages, teaching.
The Twelve Sent Out
7 (M)And (N)He *summoned the twelve and began to send them out (O)in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8 (P)and He instructed them that they were to take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no [g]bag, no money in their belt— 9 but [h]to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not wear two [i]tunics.” 10 And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you [j]leave town. 11 Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, (Q)shake the dust [k]off the soles of your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 (R)And they went out and [l]preached that people are to repent. 13 And they were casting out many demons and (S)were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.
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