Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

6 ^(A)Then David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² And David arose and went with all the people who were with him ^[a]from ^[b](B)Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the ^(C)Name, the very name of Yahweh of hosts who ^(D)is ^[c]enthroned above the cherubim. ³ And they ^[d]drove the ark of God on ^(E)a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and ^[e]Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. ⁴ So ^(F)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. ⁵ Now David and all the house of Israel ^(G)were celebrating before Yahweh ^(H)with all kinds of instruments made of ^[f]fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

¹² Then it was told to King David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” So ^(A)David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into ^(B)the city of David with gladness. ¹³ And so it happened, that when those ^(C)who were carrying the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ^(D)ox and a fatling. ¹⁴ And ^(E)David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was ^(F)girded with a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

David Dances Before Yahweh

¹⁶ Then it happened as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that ^(G)Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ And they brought in the ark of Yahweh and placed it ^(H)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(I)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. ¹⁸ Then David completed offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. And ^(J)he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁹ And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people went each to his house.

The King of Glory

Of David. A Psalm.

^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in ^(B)the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as ^(C)He chose us in Him before ^(D)the foundation of the world, that we would be ^(E)holy and blameless before ^[a]Him ^(F)in love, ⁵ by ^(G)predestining us to ^(H)adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, ^(I)according to the good pleasure of His will, ^6 (J)to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He graciously bestowed on us in ^(K)the Beloved. ^7 (L)In ^[b]Him we have ^(M)redemption ^(N)through His blood, the ^(O)forgiveness of our transgressions, according to ^(P)the riches of His grace ⁸ which He caused to abound to us in all wisdom and insight, ^9 (Q)making known to us the mystery of His will, ^(R)according to His good pleasure which He ^(S)purposed in Him ¹⁰ for an administration of ^(T)the fullness of the times, that is, ^(U)the summing up of all things in Christ, things ^[c]in the heavens and things on the earth in Him. ¹¹ In ^[d]Him, we also ^[e](V)have been made an inheritance, having been ^(W)predestined ^(X)according to the purpose of Him who works all things ^(Y)according to the counsel of His will, ¹² to the end that we who first have hoped in ^[f]Christ would be ^(Z)to the praise of His glory. ¹³ In ^[g]Him, you also, after listening to ^(AA)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also ^[h]believed, you were ^(AB)sealed in ^[i]Him with ^(AC)the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is ^[j](AD)given as a pledge of ^(AE)our inheritance, unto the ^(AF)redemption of ^(AG)God’s own possession, ^(AH)to the praise of His glory.

The Death of John the Baptist

^14 (A)And King Herod heard it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “^(B)John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” ¹⁵ But others were saying, “He is ^(C)Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is ^(D)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of ^(E)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “^(F)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ^19 (G)Now Herodias was holding a grudge against him and was wanting to put him to death and was not able; ²⁰ for ^(H)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he was keeping him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; ^[a]but he ^[b]used to enjoy listening to him. ²¹ And a strategic day came when Herod on his birthday ^(I)gave a banquet for his great men and ^[c]military commanders and the leading men ^(J)of Galilee; ²² and when the daughter of ^(K)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and ^[d]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to ^(L)half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ And immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of ^[e]his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ And when his disciples heard this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.