Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Magen David

Psalm 3

²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of Adonai in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, ²³ and said: “Adonai, God of Israel, there is no God like You, in heaven above or on earth below, keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart.

²⁴ “You have kept what You promised with Your servant David my father. Yes, You spoke with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

²⁵ “Now therefore, Adonai, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father what You have promised him, saying: ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your children watch their way, walking before Me as you have walked before Me.’ ²⁶ Now therefore, God of Israel, please, let Your word be confirmed, which You spoke to Your servant my father David. ²⁷ So will God really dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You!^[a] How much less this House that I have built! ²⁸ Nevertheless, turn to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, Adonai my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You this day. ²⁹ Let Your eyes be open toward this House night and day, toward the place of which You have said: ‘My Name shall be there;’ listening to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.

³⁰ “So listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive!

⁹ “Watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to the courts, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them. ¹⁰ The Good News must first be proclaimed to all the nations. ¹¹ When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Say whatever is given to you in that hour, for it is not you who speaks but the Ruach ha-Kodesh. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his 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 will be saved.”

Birth Pangs Before Deliverance

¹⁴ “But when you see ‘the abomination of desolation’^[a] standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ The one on the roof must not go down, nor enter to take anything out of his house. ¹⁶ And the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁷ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that it will not happen in winter.

¹⁹ “For in those days there will be trouble such as has never happened,^[b] not since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. ²⁰ And unless Adonai had cut short those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He cut short the days.

²¹ “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there He is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up^[c] and show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. ²³ So be careful! See, I have told you everything beforehand.”