Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came about after ^(A)the death of Saul, when David had returned from ^(B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David stayed two days in Ziklag.

David’s Song of Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

¹⁷ Then David ^(A)sang this song of mourning over Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in ^(B)the Book of Jashar.

Hope in the Lord’s Forgiving Love.

A Song of Ascents.

⁷ But just as you ^(A)excel ^(B)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ^[a]love we inspired in you, see that you also ^(C)excel in this gracious work. ⁸ I ^(D)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. ⁹ For you know ^(E)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^(F)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. ¹⁰ I ^(G)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^(H)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. ¹¹ But now finish ^[b]doing it also, so that just as there was the ^(I)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. ¹² For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable ^(J)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³ For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— ¹⁴ at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^(K)their need, so that their abundance also may ^[c]serve as assistance for ^(L)your need, so that there may be equality; ¹⁵ as it is written: “^(M)The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

Miracles and Healing

^21 (A)When Jesus had crossed over again in ^(B)the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He ^[a]stayed ^(C)by the seashore. ^22 (D)And one of ^(E)the synagogue ^[b]officials, named Jairus, *came, and upon seeing Him, *fell at His feet ²³ and *pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and ^(F)lay Your hands on her, so that she will ^[c]get well and live.” ²⁴ And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

²⁵ A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, ²⁶ and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse— ²⁷ after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His ^[d]cloak. ²⁸ For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garments, I will ^[e]get well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her ^(G)disease. ³⁰ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that ^(H)power from Him had gone out, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” ³¹ And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ³² And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, ^(I)your faith has ^[f]made you well; ^(J)go in peace and be cured of your ^(K)disease.”

³⁵ While He was still speaking, people *came from the house of the ^(L)synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher further?” ³⁶ But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the ^(M)synagogue official, “^(N)Do not be afraid, only ^[g]believe.” ³⁷ And He allowed no one to accompany Him except ^(O)Peter, ^[h]James, and John the brother of ^[i]James. ³⁸ They *came to the house of the ^(P)synagogue official, and He *saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. ³⁹ And after entering, He *said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.” ⁴⁰ And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all outside, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was in bed. ⁴¹ And taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha, kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, ^(Q)I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² And immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astonished. ⁴³ And He ^(R)gave them strict orders that no one was to know about this, and He told them to have something given her to eat.