Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
5 The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.
6 Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men.[a] The slaughter there was great that day—20,000 soldiers were killed. 8 The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.
9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his[b] mule, it[c] went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair,[d] while the mule he had been riding kept going.
15 Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor-bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said,[a] “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!”[b] 32 The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you[c] be like that young man!”
33 (19:1)[d] The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son,[e] Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”[f]
Psalm 130[a]
A song of ascents.[b]
130 From the deep water[c] I cry out to you, O Lord.
2 O Lord, listen to me.[d]
Pay attention to[e] my plea for mercy.
3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of[f] sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you?[g]
4 But[h] you are willing to forgive,[i]
so that you might[j] be honored.[k]
5 I rely on[l] the Lord.
I rely on him with my whole being;[m]
I wait for his assuring word.[n]
6 I yearn for the Lord,[o]
more than watchmen do for the morning,
yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.[p]
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,
for the Lord exhibits loyal love,[q]
and is more than willing to deliver.[r]
8 He will deliver[s] Israel
from all their sins.[t]
25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,[a] because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin;[b] do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.[c] 27 Do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need,[d] that it would give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice.[e] 32 Instead,[f] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Live in Love
5 Therefore, be[g] imitators of God as dearly loved children 2 and live[h] in love, just as Christ also loved us[i] and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering[j] to God.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.[a]
41 Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus[a] began complaining about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” 42 and they said, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus replied,[b] “Do not complain about me to one another.[c] 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,[d] and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’[e] Everyone who hears and learns from the Father[f] comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God—he[g] has seen the Father.)[h] 47 I tell you the solemn truth,[i] the one who believes[j] has eternal life.[k] 48 I am the bread of life.[l] 49 Your ancestors[m] ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This[n] is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person[o] may eat from it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread[p] that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
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