Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

23 Now these are the last words of David: David son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, says,

² The Spirit of the Lord spoke in and by me, and His word was upon my tongue.

³ The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God,

⁴ He dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.

⁵ Truly does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?

⁶ But wicked, godless, and worthless lives are all like thorns to be thrust away, because they cannot be taken with the hand.

⁷ But the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire on the spot.

Psalm 132

A Song of ^[a]Ascents.

¹ Lord, [earnestly] remember to David’s credit all his humiliations and hardships and endurance—

² How he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

³ Surely I will not enter my dwelling house or get into my bed—

⁴ I will not permit my eyes to sleep or my eyelids to slumber,

⁵ Until I have found a place for the Lord, a habitation for the Mighty One of Jacob.^(A)

⁶ Behold, at Ephratah we [first] heard of [the discovered ark]; we found it in the fields of the wood [at Kiriath-jearim].^(B)

⁷ Let us go into His tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool.

⁸ Arise, O Lord, to Your resting-place, You and the ark [the symbol] of Your strength.

⁹ Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness (right living and right standing with God); and let Your saints shout for joy!

¹⁰ For Your servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of Your anointed and reject not Your own king.

¹¹ The Lord swore to David in truth; He will not turn back from it: One of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.^(C)

¹² If your children will keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon your throne forever.

¹³ For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His habitation:

¹⁴ This is My resting-place forever [says the Lord]; here will I dwell, for I have desired it.

¹⁵ I will surely and abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

¹⁶ Her priests also will I clothe with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

¹⁷ There will I make a horn spring forth and bud for David; I have ordained and prepared a lamp for My anointed [fulfilling the promises of old].^(A)

¹⁸ His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

⁴ John to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia: May grace (God’s unmerited favor) be granted to you and spiritual peace (^[a]the peace of Christ’s kingdom) from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits [^[b]the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne,^(A)

⁵ And from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead [first to be brought back to life] and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Who ^[c]ever loves us and has ^[d]once [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood,^(B)

⁶ And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it).^(C)

⁷ Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon Him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over Him. Even so [must it be]. Amen (so be it).^(D)

⁸ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord God, He Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty (the Ruler of all).^(E)

³³ So Pilate went back again into the judgment hall and called Jesus and asked Him, Are You the King of the Jews?

³⁴ Jesus replied, Are you saying this of yourself [on your own initiative], or have others told you about Me?

³⁵ Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your [own] people and nation and their chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?

³⁶ Jesus answered, My kingdom (kingship, royal power) belongs not to this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My followers would have been fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here (this world); [it has no such origin or source].

³⁷ Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice.