Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

3 ⁽⁰⁾ A psalm of David, when he fled from Avshalom his son:

¹⁹ Sh’mu’el kept growing, Adonai was with him, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. ²⁰ All Isra’el from Dan to Be’er-Sheva became aware that Sh’mu’el had been confirmed as a prophet of Adonai. ²¹ Adonai continued appearing in Shiloh, for Adonai revealed himself to Sh’mu’el in Shiloh by the word of Adonai.

4 So the word of Sh’mu’el came to all Isra’el.

Isra’el went out to fight against the P’lishtim, setting up camp at Even-‘Ezer, while the P’lishtim camped at Afek. ² The P’lishtim drew up in battle formation against Isra’el. The battle was fierce, and Isra’el was beaten by the P’lishtim — they killed about four thousand soldiers on the battlefield.

²⁶ For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, of raging fire that will consume the enemies.^[a]

²⁸ Someone who disregards the Torah of Moshe is put to death without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses.^{[b] 29} Think how much worse will be the punishment deserved by someone who has trampled underfoot the Son of God; who has treated as something common the blood of the covenant^[c] which made him holy; and who has insulted the Spirit, giver of God’s grace!

³⁰ For the One we know is the One who said,

and then said,

³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!