Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God’s Covenant with David^(A)

7 Now it came to pass ^(B)when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, ² that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in ^(C)a house of cedar, ^(D)but the ark of God dwells inside tent ^(E)curtains.”

³ Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your ^(F)heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(G)“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? ⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house ^(H)since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in ^(I)a tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷ Wherever I have ^(J)moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded ^(K)to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ ⁸ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(L)“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. ⁹ And ^(M)I have been with you wherever you have gone, ^(N)and have ^[a]cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. ¹⁰ Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will ^(O)plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; ^(P)nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, ^11 (Q)since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord ^[b]tells you ^(R)that He will make you a ^[c]house.

^12 (S)“When your days are fulfilled and you ^(T)rest with your fathers, ^(U)I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13 (V)He shall build a house for My name, and I will ^(W)establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14 (X)I will be his Father, and he shall be ^(Y)My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the ^[d]blows of the sons of men.

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^(A)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one ^(B)new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might ^(C)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby ^(D)putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For ^(E)through Him we both have access ^(F)by one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been ^(G)built ^(H)on the foundation of the ^(I)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being ^(J)the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into ^(K)a holy temple in the Lord, ^22 (L)in whom you also are being built together for a ^(M)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Feeding the Five Thousand^(A)

^30 (B)Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. ^31 (C)And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For ^(D)there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ^32 (E)So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

³³ But ^[a]the multitudes saw them departing, and many ^(F)knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ^34 (G)And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like ^(H)sheep not having a shepherd. So ^(I)He began to teach them many things.

Many Touch Him and Are Made Well^(A)

^53 (B)When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ And when they came out of the boat, immediately ^[a]the people recognized Him, ⁵⁵ ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. ⁵⁶ Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that ^(C)they might just touch the ^(D)hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.