Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

6 Again David gathered all of the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand. ² David and all of the people who were with him arose and went from Baalah of Judah to bring up the ark of God, so named for the name of the Lord of Hosts who sits enthroned among the cherubim that are upon it. ³ They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab were driving the new cart. ⁴ They brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on the hill, and Ahio was walking in front of the ark. ⁵ Meanwhile, David and the entire house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all sorts of instruments made of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

¹² When it was reported to King David, “The Lord has blessed Obed-Edom and everything that belongs to him, for the sake of the ark of God,” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, David would sacrifice an ox and a fattened steer. ¹⁴ David danced before the Lord with all of his might, and he wore a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and the whole house of Israel escorted the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the horn.

¹⁶ When the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window, and upon seeing King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she thought contemptuously of him in her mind.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people before the Lord of Hosts. ¹⁹ He distributed to all of the people, the entire multitude of Israel, both men and women, one bread cake, one date cake, and one raisin cake to each one. Then all of the people left, each to his house.

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love; ⁵ He predestined us to adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace which He graciously bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, ⁸ which He lavished on us in all wisdom and insight, ⁹ making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, which are in heaven and on earth.

¹¹ In Him also we have received an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will, ¹² that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, should live for the praise of His glory. ¹³ In Him you also, after hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and after believing in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Death of John the Baptist^(A)

¹⁴ King Herod heard of Him, for His name was spread publicly. He said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and therefore these miracles are at work in him.”

¹⁵ But others said, “He is Elijah.”

And yet others said, “He is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “It is John, whom I beheaded. He has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷ Herod had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. ¹⁸ For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias had a grudge against him and would have killed him, but she could not, ²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, but heard him gladly.

²¹ But a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday prepared a ceremonial dinner for his lords and commanding officers and leading men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you desire, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

She said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

²⁵ She came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter at once.”

²⁶ The king was extremely sorrowful. Yet for the sake of his oath and those who sat with him, he would not reject her. ²⁷ So the king immediately sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.