Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

6 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra’el, 30,000 men. ² Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba‘alei-Y’hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot enthroned above the k’ruvim. ³ They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart. ⁴ They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark. ⁵ David and the whole house of Isra’el celebrated in the presence of Adonai with all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.

¹² King David was told, “Adonai has blessed the house of ‘Oved-Edom and everyone who belongs to him, thanks to the ark of God.” So David went and joyously brought the ark of God up from the house of ‘Oved-Edom into the City of David. ¹³ When those bearing the ark of Adonai had gone only six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened sheep. ¹⁴ Then David danced and spun around with abandon before Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Isra’el brought up the ark of Adonai with shouting and the sound of the shofar. ¹⁶ As the ark of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning before Adonai; and she was filled with contempt for him.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of Adonai in and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Adonai. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot. ¹⁹ Then he distributed to all the people of Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.

³ Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. ⁴ In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. ⁵ He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose — ⁶ so that we would bring him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace he gave us through the Beloved One.

⁷ In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free — our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace ⁸ he has lavished on us. In all his wisdom and insight ⁹ he has made known to us his secret plan, which by his own will he designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah ¹⁰ and will put into effect when the time is ripe — his plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.

¹¹ Also in union with him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who effects everything in keeping with the decision of his will, ¹² so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring him praise commensurate with his glory.

¹³ Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in the Messiah were sealed by him with the promised Ruach HaKodesh, ¹⁴ who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring him praise commensurate with his glory.

¹⁴ Meanwhile, King Herod heard about this, for Yeshua’s reputation had spread. Some were saying, “Yochanan the Immerser has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵ Others said, “It is Eliyahu!” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the old prophets.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about it, he said, “Yochanan, whom I had beheaded, has been raised.”

¹⁷ For Herod had sent and had Yochanan arrested and chained in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her, ¹⁸ but Yochanan had told him, “It violates the Torah for you to marry your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted him put to death. But this she could not accomplish, ²⁰ because Herod stood in awe of Yochanan and protected him, for he knew that he was a tzaddik, a holy man. Whenever he heard him, he became deeply disturbed; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally, the opportunity came. Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his nobles and officers and the leading men of the Galil. ²² The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want; I will give it to you”; ²³ and he made a vow to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” ²⁴ So she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She said, “The head of Yochanan the Immerser.” ²⁵ At once the daughter hurried back to the king and announced her request: “I want you to give me right now on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” ²⁶ Herod was appalled; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he did not want to break his word to her. ²⁷ So the king immediately sent a soldier from his personal guard with orders to bring Yochanan’s head. The soldier went and beheaded Yochanan in the prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When Yochanan’s talmidim heard of it, they came and took the body and laid it in a grave.