Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹² Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! ¹³ For He has made your gates strong. He has made good come to your children within you. ¹⁴ He makes peace within your walls. He fills you with the best grain. ¹⁵ He sends His Word to the earth. And His Word runs fast. ¹⁶ He gives snow like wool. He spreads ice like ashes. ¹⁷ He throws down His ice as hail stones. Who can stand before His cold? ¹⁸ He sends out His Word and melts them. He makes His wind blow and the waters flow. ¹⁹ He speaks His Word to Jacob, and His Law to Israel. ²⁰ He has not done this with any other nation. They do not know His Law. Praise the Lord!

⁵ The Lord came to Solomon in a special dream in Gibeon during the night. God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” ⁶ Then Solomon said, “You have shown great loving-kindness to Your servant David my father because he was faithful and right and good and pure in heart before You. And You have kept for him this great and lasting love. You have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. ⁷ Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child. I do not know how to start or finish. ⁸ Your servant is among Your people which You have chosen. They are many people. There are too many people to number. ⁹ So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and know the difference between good and bad. For who is able to judge Your many people?”

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ God said to him, “You have asked this, and have not asked for a long life for yourself. You have not asked for riches, or for the life of those who hate you. But you have asked for understanding to know what is right. Because you have asked this, ¹² I have done what you said. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart. No one has been like you before, and there will be no one like you in the future. ¹³ I give you what you have not asked, also. I give you both riches and honor. So there will be no king like you all your days. ¹⁴ And if you walk in My ways and keep My Laws and Word as your father David did, I will allow you to live a long time.”

Jesus Teaches about the Light of the World

¹² Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.”

¹³ The proud religious law-keepers said to Him, “You are talking about Yourself. What You say about Yourself is not true.”

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Even if I speak of Myself, what I am saying is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You say as a man would say if people are guilty or not guilty. I am not saying anyone is guilty. ¹⁶ But even if I did, it would be true. I am not alone. The Father Who sent Me is with Me. ¹⁷ It is written in your Law that when two men agree about something, it proves it is true. ^{(A) 18} I speak for Myself and the Father Who sent Me speaks for Me.”

¹⁹ The proud religious law-keepers asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus said, “You do not know Me or My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”