Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

¹⁹ And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and did not let any of his words fall to the ground. ²⁰ All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was proven to be a prophet of the Lord. ²¹ And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

4 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

The Ark of God Captured

And Israel went out to battle against the Philistines and they made camp beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. ² The Philistines arrayed themselves in a battle line against Israel, and when the battle was over, Israel was beaten before the Philistines, who struck down on the field of battle about four thousand men.

²⁶ For if we willfully continue to sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who despised Moses’ law died without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe a punishment do you suppose he deserves, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant that sanctified him to be a common thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine,” says the Lord, “I will repay.”^[a] And again He says, “The Lord will judge His people.”^{[b] 31} It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.