Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Call to Yahweh in Distress

A psalm of David at his fleeing from the presence of Absalom, his son.^[a]

Solomon’s Prayer to Yahweh

²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all of the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands to the heavens, ²³ and he said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in the heavens above or on the earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the loyal love for your servants who are walking before you with all their heart. ²⁴ You have kept for your servant David my father what you promised to him, and you have spoken with your mouth, and with your hand you have fulfilled it this very day. ²⁵ So then, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you promised to him, saying, ‘For you, no man will be cut off from before me who will be sitting on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their ways to walk before me just as you have walked before me.’ ²⁶ So then, O God of Israel, please let your word be confirmed which you have promised^[a] to your servant David my father. ²⁷ For will God really dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens could not contain you! How could^[b] this house that I have built? ²⁸ You must regard the prayer of your servant and his plea! O Yahweh my God, listen to the pleading and to the prayer that your servant is praying before you this day, ²⁹ so that your eyes will be open to this house night and day, to the place which you said, ‘My name will be there,’ to hear the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. ³⁰ You must listen to the plea of your servant and your people Israel which they pray toward this place; and you must hear from the place where you live, from heaven you must hear and you must forgive.

Persecution of Disciples Predicted

⁹ “But you, watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues and will have to stand before governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.^{[a] 11} And when they arrest you and^[b] hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his^[c] child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

¹⁴ “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (let the one who reads understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! ¹⁵ The one^[d] who is on his^[e] housetop must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house, ¹⁶ and the one who is in the field must not turn back to pick up his cloak. ¹⁷ And woe to those who are pregnant^[f] and to those who are nursing their babies^[g] in those days! ¹⁸ But pray that it will not happen in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be tribulation of such a kind as has not happened from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will happen. ²⁰ And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved.^[h] But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has shortened the days.

²¹ “And at that time if anyone should say to you, “Behold, here is the Christ,’ ‘Behold, there he is,’ do not believe him!^{[i] 22} For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce signs and wonders in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. ²³ But you, watch out! I have told you everything ahead of time!