Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
5 But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And (A)all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in (B)the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were [a]defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then (C)his head caught firmly in the oak, and he was [b]left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.
15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.
31 Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for (A)the Lord has [a]freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “(B)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “(C)May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”
33 [b]Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “(D)My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! (E)If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
Hope in the Lord’s Forgiving Love.
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out of the (A)depths I have cried to You, Lord.
2 Lord, (B)hear my voice!
Let (C)Your ears be attentive
To the (D)sound of my pleadings.
3 If You, [a]Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds,
Lord, who could (E)stand?
4 But there is (F)forgiveness with You,
So that You may be [b](G)revered.
5 I wait for the Lord, my (H)soul waits,
And I [c]wait (I)for His word.
6 My soul waits in hope for the Lord
More than the watchmen (J)for the morning;
Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning.
7 Israel, (K)wait for the Lord;
For with the Lord there is (L)mercy,
And with Him is (M)abundant redemption.
8 And He will (N)redeem Israel
From all his guilty deeds.
25 Therefore, (A)ridding yourselves of falsehood, (B)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are (C)parts of one another. 26 (D)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not (E)give the devil [a]an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather (F)he must labor, (G)producing with his own hands what is good, (H)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 Let no [b](I)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for (J)edification [c]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 (K)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [d]by whom you were (L)sealed for the day of redemption. 31 (M)All bitterness, wrath, anger, [e]clamor, and slander must be (N)removed from you, along with all (O)malice. 32 (P)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, (Q)just as God in Christ also has forgiven [f]you.
Be Imitators of God
5 (R)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and (S)walk in love, just as Christ also (T)loved [g]you and (U)gave Himself up for us, an (V)offering and a sacrifice to God [h]as a (W)fragrant aroma.
Words to the Jews
41 (A)So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that (B)came down out of heaven.” 42 And they were saying, “(C)Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother (D)we know? How does He now say, ‘(E)I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me (F)draws him; and I will (G)raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written (H)in the Prophets: ‘(I)And they shall all be (J)taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 (K)Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes (L)has eternal life. 48 (M)I am the bread of life. 49 (N)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that (O)comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and (P)not die. 51 (Q)I am the living bread that (R)came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, (S)he will live forever; and the bread which I will give (T)for the life of the world also is (U)My flesh.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.