Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁶ Some men from the territories of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at his usual place of safety. ¹⁷ David went out to meet them. He said to them, “Have you come to me in peace? Have you come to help me? If you have, I’m ready for you to join me. But suppose you have come to hand me over to my enemies when I haven’t even harmed anyone. Then may the God of our people see it and judge you.”

¹⁸ The Spirit of God came on Amasai. He was leader of the 30 chiefs. He said,

So David welcomed them. He made them leaders in his army.

¹⁹ Some people from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David’s side. They did this when he marched out with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But David and his men didn’t help the Philistines. That’s because after all the Philistine rulers had discussed the matter, they sent him away. They said, “Suppose he deserts to his master Saul. Then our heads will be cut off!” ²⁰ So David went to Ziklag. Here are the men of Manasseh who went over to his side. They were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. They were leaders of groups of 1,000 men in Manasseh. ²¹ They helped David fight against enemy armies. All the men of Manasseh were brave fighting men. They were commanders in David’s army. ²² Day after day men came to help David. Soon he had a large army. It was like the army of God.

⁵ He who was sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down. You can trust these words. They are true.”

⁶ He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water to anyone who is thirsty. The water will come from the spring of the water of life. It doesn’t cost anything! ⁷ Those who have victory will receive all this from me. I will be their God, and they will be my children. ⁸ But others will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Those who are afraid and those who do not believe will be there. Murderers and those who make themselves impure will join them. Those who commit sexual sins and those who practice witchcraft will go there. Those who worship statues of gods and all who tell lies will be there too. The lake of fire is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb

⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. The bowls were filled with the seven last plagues. The angel said, “Come. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ Then he carried me away in a vision. The Spirit took me to a huge, high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City. It was coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God. It gleamed like a very valuable jewel. It was like a jasper, as clear as crystal. ¹² The city had a huge, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates, one at each of them. On the gates were written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east and three on the north. There were three gates on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had 12 foundations. Written on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.