Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Peril in Moving the Ark
6 (A)Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to [a](B)Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the (C)Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who (D)is [b]enthroned above the cherubim. 3 They [c]placed the ark of God on (E)a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 So (F)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel (G)were celebrating before the Lord (H)with all kinds of instruments made of [d]fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.
The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem
12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” (A)David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into (B)the city of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, that when the (C)bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an (D)ox and a fatling. 14 And (E)David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was [a](F)wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.
16 Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that (G)Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
17 So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it (H)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and (I)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, (J)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.
The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
24 The (A)earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains,
The (B)world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has (C)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may (D)ascend into the (E)hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy (F)place?
4 He who has (G)clean hands and a (H)pure heart,
Who has not (I)lifted up his soul [b]to falsehood
And has not (J)sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a (K)blessing from the Lord
And [c](L)righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [d]This is the generation of those who (M)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. [e]Selah.
7 (N)Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O [f]ancient doors,
That the King of (O)glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord (P)strong and mighty,
The Lord (Q)mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O [g]ancient doors,
That the King of (R)glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of (S)hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.
3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in (B)the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as (C)He chose us in Him before (D)the foundation of the world, that we would be (E)holy and blameless before [a]Him. (F)In love 5 [b]He (G)predestined us to (H)adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, (I)according to the [c]kind intention of His will, 6 (J)to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in (K)the Beloved. 7 (L)In [d]Him we have (M)redemption (N)through His blood, the (O)forgiveness of our trespasses, according to (P)the riches of His grace 8 which He [e]lavished on [f]us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He [g](Q)made known to us the mystery of His will, (R)according to His [h]kind intention which He (S)purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration [i]suitable to (T)the fullness of the times, that is, (U)the summing up of all things in Christ, things [j]in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 [k]also we [l](V)have obtained an inheritance, having been (W)predestined (X)according to His purpose who works all things (Y)after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in [m]Christ would be (Z)to the praise of His glory. 13 In [n]Him, you also, after listening to (AA)the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [o]believed, you were (AB)sealed in [p]Him with (AC)the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is [q](AD)given as a pledge of (AE)our inheritance, with a view to the (AF)redemption of (AG)God’s own possession, (AH)to the praise of His glory.
John’s Fate Recalled
14 (A)And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “(B)John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is (C)Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is (D)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of (E)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “(F)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 (G)Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; 20 for (H)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; [a]but he [b]used to enjoy listening to him. 21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday (I)gave a banquet for his lords and [c]military commanders and the leading men (J)of Galilee; 22 and when the daughter of (K)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and [d]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to (L)half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of [e]his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded 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 about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.
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