Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵ The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom.” All of the people heard the king instruct the commanders concerning Absalom.

⁶ So the people went out toward Israel in the field, but the fighting occurred in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ The people of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David. That day the defeat was extensive, twenty thousand men. ⁸ The fighting spread across the land, and the people consumed by the forest were more numerous than those consumed by the sword that day.

⁹ Absalom was encountered by some of the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule. When the mule went under the branches of a very large tree, his head was caught in the tree. He was left in midair while the mule that was under him kept going.

¹⁵ Then ten young men, armor bearers for Joab, gathered around and struck down Absalom, killing him.

³¹ Then the Cushite came and said, “Good news for my lord the king, for today the Lord has delivered you from those who rose up against you.”

³² The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well for the young man Absalom?”

The Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who would rise up against you to do harm become as the young man is.”

³³ The king was deeply moved and went up to the upper chamber of the gate and wept. As he went he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I could have given my death in your stead, Absalom, my son, my son!”

Psalm 130

A Song of Ascents.

Rules for the New Life

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, let every man speak truthfully with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. ²⁷ Do not give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who steals steal no more. Instead, let him labor, working with his hands things which are good, that he may have something to share with him who is in need.

²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you. ³² And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

5 Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. ² Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.

⁴¹ The Jews then murmured about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’? ”

⁴³ Jesus therefore answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets, ‘They shall all be taught by God.’^[a] Therefore everyone who has heard and has learned of the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God. He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in Me has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.”