Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 99^[a]

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle

^32 [a] So all the work of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed, and the Israelites did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses—they did it exactly so. ³³ They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, frames, bars, posts, and bases; ³⁴ and the coverings of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather,^[b] and the protecting^[c] curtain; ³⁵ the ark of the testimony and its poles, and the atonement lid; ³⁶ the table, all its utensils, and the Bread of the Presence; ³⁷ the pure^[d] lampstand, its lamps, with the lamps set in order, and all its accessories, and oil for the light; ³⁸ and the gold altar, and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin with its pedestal; ⁴⁰ the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway of the courtyard, its ropes and its tent pegs, and all the furnishings^[e] for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; ⁴¹ the woven garments for serving^[f] in the sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.

⁴² The Israelites did all the work according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴³ Moses inspected^[g] all the work, and^[h] they had done it just as the Lord had commanded—they had done it exactly—and Moses blessed them.^[i]

The Death of John the Baptist

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch^[a] heard reports about Jesus, ² and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” ³ For Herod had arrested John, bound him,^[b] and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ because John had repeatedly told^[c] him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”^{[d] 5} Although^[e] Herod^[f] wanted to kill John,^[g] he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. ⁶ But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, ⁷ so much that he promised^[h] with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹ Although it grieved the king,^[i] because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. ¹⁰ So^[j] he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His^[k] head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹² Then John’s^[l] disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.