1 Chron. 11:1–9

11:1 All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 2In the past, even when Saul was king, you were Israel’s commanding general. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over my people Israel.’” 3When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the Lord’s message that came through Samuel.

4David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land’s original inhabitants, lived there.) 5The residents of Jebus said to David, “You cannot invade this place!” But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 6 David said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!” So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander. 7David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. 8He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; Joab restored the rest of the city. 9David’s power steadily grew, for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was with him.

Ps. 113

113:1 Praise the Lord.

Praise, you servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord.

2May the Lord’s name be praised

now and forevermore.

3From east to west

the Lord’s name is deserving of praise.

4The Lord is exalted over all the nations;

his splendor reaches beyond the sky.

5Who can compare to the Lord our God,

who sits on a high throne?

6He bends down to look

at the sky and the earth.

7He raises the poor from the dirt

and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile

8that he might seat him with princes,

with the princes of his people.

9He makes the barren woman of the family

a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

Mark 11:27–12:12

11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him 28and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.” 31They discussed with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘From people…’” (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet). 33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

12:1 Then he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. 2At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop. 3But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 5He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 6He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard. 9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not read this scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away.