Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
16 God says this to the evildoer:[a]
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant?[b]
17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words.[c]
18 When you see a thief, you join him;[d]
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.[e]
19 You do damage with words,[f]
and use your tongue to deceive.[g]
20 You plot against your brother;[h]
you slander your own brother.[i]
21 When you did these things, I was silent,[j]
so you thought I was exactly like you.[k]
But now I will condemn[l] you
and state my case against you.[m]
22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God.[n]
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds[o]
and no one will be able to rescue you.
23 Whoever presents a thank offering honors me.[p]
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”[q]
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!”[a] Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.[b] 22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death
23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work.[c] Let the king and his servants go with me.”
25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom[d] pressed[e] him, the king[f] was not willing to go. Instead, David[g] blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go,[h] then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk[i] and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”[j] 29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about[k] from the day that Amnon[l] humiliated his sister Tamar. 33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west[m] on a road beside the hill. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said.”
36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.[n] The king and all his servants wept loudly[o] as well.
The Feeding of the Four Thousand
8 In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. So[a] Jesus[b] called his disciples and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days, and they have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will faint on the way, and some of them have come from a great distance.” 4 His disciples answered him, “Where can someone get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” 5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” 6 Then[c] he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. After he took the seven loaves and gave thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples to serve. So[d] they served the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish. After giving thanks for these, he told them to serve these as well. 8 Everyone[e] ate and was satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 There were about 4,000[f] who ate.[g] Then he dismissed them.[h] 10 Immediately he got into a boat[i] with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.[j]
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