Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Fool Denies God
Psalm 53
1 For the music director: on Mahalath, a contemplative song of David.
2 The fool says in his heart:
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, commit vile injustice.
There is no one who does good.
3 God looks down from the heavens
on the children of men,
to see if anyone understands,
who seeks after God.
4 All have turned aside—
together they have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good—
no, not even one!
5 Will the evildoers never learn?
They consume My people as they would eat bread,
and never call upon God.
6 There they are in great dread—
where there is nothing to fear.
For God has scattered the bones of those besieging you.
You have put them to shame,
for God has rejected them.
7 Who will give salvation for Israel out of Zion?
When God restores His captive people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!
23 Then the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmas.
Jonathan’s Daring Valor
14 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let’s cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that’s on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Now Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron, and the troops with him were about 600 men. 3 Ahijah son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod son of Phinehas son of Eli, the kohen of Adonai in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the troops did not know that Jonathan was gone. 4 Between the crossings by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side and another rocky crag on the other side—one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One crag was to the north near Michmas, and the other to the south near Geba.
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps Adonai will work for us, for nothing restrains Adonai from delivering whether by many or by few.” 7 His armor-bearer answered him, “Do whatever is in your heart; go ahead—I’m with you whatever your heart decides.”
8 Then Jonathan said, “Here, we’ll cross over to the men, then let them see us. 9 If they say to us: ‘Wait till we come to you,’ then we’ll stand still in our place and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, for Adonai has delivered them into our hand—that will be our sign.”
11 So they both let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison. “Look, some Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they were hiding,” the Philistines said. 12 So the men of the garrison shouted down to Jonathan and his armor-bearer saying, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
Then Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Follow me, for Adonai has handed them over to Israel!” 13 So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Then they fell before Jonathan, his armor-bearer behind him finishing them off. 14 That first assault that Jonathan and his armor-bearer made struck down about 20 men within about half a furrow in an acre of land. 15 Terror then spread through the camp, in the field, and among all the troops. Even the outposts and the raiders also trembled, when the earth quaked—it was a trembling from God.
16 Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin saw the throng scattering away in every direction. 17 So Saul said to the people who were with him, “Call the roll now and see who went from us.” When they called the roll, behold Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.
18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God at that time was with Bnei-Yisrael. 19 But while Saul was talking to the kohen, the commotion in the Philistine camp kept increasing, so Saul said to the kohen, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people with him rallied and rushed into the battle. Behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow in utter confusion! 21 Now there were Hebrews who had defected to the Philistines previously and had gone up with them to their camp round about—even they joined the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Also when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they also chased after them in the battle. 23 So Adonai delivered Israel that day. The battle spread as far as Beth-aven.
Living under God’s Favor
11 Notice the large letters—I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 Those wanting to look good outwardly[a] are trying to force you to be circumcised—only so they will not be persecuted for the cross of Messiah. 13 For not even the circumcised keep Torah themselves. Yet they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 But may I never boast—except in the cross of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Through Him the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means[b] anything—but only a new creation. 16 Now as many as live by this rule[c]—shalom and mercy on them and on the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one make trouble for me, for I bear on my body the scars[d] of Yeshua.
18 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.