Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 1 Samuel 24:1–25:44; John 10:22-42; Psalm 116:1-9; and Proverbs 15:20-21. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
1 Samuel 24-25:44 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Samuel 24
David Lets Saul Live
1When Saul got back from fighting off the Philistines, he heard that David was in the desert around En-Gedi. 2Saul led three thousand of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi. 3There were some sheep pens along the side of the road, and one of them was built around the entrance to a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. 4They whispered to David, "The LORD told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the LORD was talking about."
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece [a] of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7and he told his men, "Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the LORD will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king." Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8Soon, David also got up and left the cave. "Your Majesty!" he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10You can see for yourself that the LORD gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, "I will not harm the LORD's chosen king!" 11Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12I'll let the LORD decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the LORD will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13An old proverb says, "Only evil people do evil things," and so I won't harm you.
14Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15I pray that the LORD will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16"David, my son--is that you?" Saul asked. Then he started crying 17and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the LORD gave you the chance. 19If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the LORD will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21Promise me with the LORD as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece [a] of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7and he told his men, "Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the LORD will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king." Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8Soon, David also got up and left the cave. "Your Majesty!" he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10You can see for yourself that the LORD gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, "I will not harm the LORD's chosen king!" 11Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12I'll let the LORD decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the LORD will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13An old proverb says, "Only evil people do evil things," and so I won't harm you.
14Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15I pray that the LORD will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16"David, my son--is that you?" Saul asked. Then he started crying 17and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the LORD gave you the chance. 19If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the LORD will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21Promise me with the LORD as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.
1 Samuel 25
Samuel Dies
Abigail Keeps David from Killing Innocent People
2-3Nabal was a very rich man who lived in Maon. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, which he kept at Carmel. [d] His wife Abigail was sensible and beautiful, but he was from the Caleb clan [e] and was rough and mean. 4One day, Nabal was in Carmel, having his servants cut the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it. 5-6So he sent ten men to Carmel with this message for Nabal: I hope that you and your family are healthy and that all is going well for you. 7I've heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep.
When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we didn't harm them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8Ask your shepherds, and they'll tell you the same thing.
My servants are your servants, and you are like a father to me. This is a day for celebrating, [f] so please be kind and share some of your food with us. 9David's men went to Nabal and gave him David's message, then they waited for Nabal's answer.
10This is what he said:
Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days. 11What makes you think I would take my bread, my water, and the meat that I've had cooked for my own servants [g] and give it to you? Besides, I'm not sure that David sent you! [h] 12The men returned to their camp and told David everything Nabal had said.
13"Everybody get your swords!" David ordered.
They all strapped on their swords. Two hundred men stayed behind to guard the camp, but the other four hundred followed David.
14-16Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants told Abigail:
David's men were often nearby while we were taking care of the sheep in the fields. They were very good to us, they never hurt us, and nothing was ever stolen from us while they were nearby. With them around day or night, we were as safe as we would have been inside a walled city.
David sent some messengers from the desert to wish our master well, but he shouted insults at them. 17He's a bully who won't listen to anyone.
Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.
18Abigail quickly got together two hundred loaves of bread, two large clay jars of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack of roasted grain, a hundred handfuls of raisins, and two hundred handfuls of dried figs. She loaded all the food on donkeys 19and told her servants, "Take this on ahead, and I'll catch up with you." She didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.
20Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.
21David had just been saying, "I surely wasted my time guarding Nabal's things in the desert and keeping them from being stolen! I was good to him, and now he pays me back with insults. 22I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me [i] if I don't do it!" 23Abigail quickly got off her donkey and bowed down in front of David. 24Then she said:
Sir, please let me explain! 25Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means "fool," and it really fits him!
I didn't see the men you sent, 26-27but please take this gift of food that I've brought and share it with your followers. The LORD has kept you from taking revenge and from killing innocent people. But I hope your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you will end up like Nabal. I swear this by the living LORD and by your life.
28Please forgive me if I say a little more. The LORD will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live. 29The LORD your God will keep you safe when your enemies try to kill you. But he will snatch away their lives quicker than you can throw a rock from a sling.
30The LORD has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The LORD will keep his promises to you, 31and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people.
When the LORD does all those good things for you, please remember me.
32David told her:
I praise the LORD God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. 33And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people. 34If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living LORD God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.
35David accepted the food Abigail had brought. "Don't worry," he said. "You can go home now. I'll do what you asked."
36Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night. 37But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. Nabal had a heart attack, and he lay in bed as still as a stone. 38Ten days later, the LORD took his life.
39-40David heard that Nabal had died. "I praise the LORD!" David said. "He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The LORD kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil."
Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.
When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we didn't harm them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8Ask your shepherds, and they'll tell you the same thing.
My servants are your servants, and you are like a father to me. This is a day for celebrating, [f] so please be kind and share some of your food with us. 9David's men went to Nabal and gave him David's message, then they waited for Nabal's answer.
10This is what he said:
Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days. 11What makes you think I would take my bread, my water, and the meat that I've had cooked for my own servants [g] and give it to you? Besides, I'm not sure that David sent you! [h] 12The men returned to their camp and told David everything Nabal had said.
13"Everybody get your swords!" David ordered.
They all strapped on their swords. Two hundred men stayed behind to guard the camp, but the other four hundred followed David.
14-16Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants told Abigail:
David's men were often nearby while we were taking care of the sheep in the fields. They were very good to us, they never hurt us, and nothing was ever stolen from us while they were nearby. With them around day or night, we were as safe as we would have been inside a walled city.
David sent some messengers from the desert to wish our master well, but he shouted insults at them. 17He's a bully who won't listen to anyone.
Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.
18Abigail quickly got together two hundred loaves of bread, two large clay jars of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack of roasted grain, a hundred handfuls of raisins, and two hundred handfuls of dried figs. She loaded all the food on donkeys 19and told her servants, "Take this on ahead, and I'll catch up with you." She didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.
20Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.
21David had just been saying, "I surely wasted my time guarding Nabal's things in the desert and keeping them from being stolen! I was good to him, and now he pays me back with insults. 22I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me [i] if I don't do it!" 23Abigail quickly got off her donkey and bowed down in front of David. 24Then she said:
Sir, please let me explain! 25Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means "fool," and it really fits him!
I didn't see the men you sent, 26-27but please take this gift of food that I've brought and share it with your followers. The LORD has kept you from taking revenge and from killing innocent people. But I hope your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you will end up like Nabal. I swear this by the living LORD and by your life.
28Please forgive me if I say a little more. The LORD will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live. 29The LORD your God will keep you safe when your enemies try to kill you. But he will snatch away their lives quicker than you can throw a rock from a sling.
30The LORD has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The LORD will keep his promises to you, 31and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people.
When the LORD does all those good things for you, please remember me.
32David told her:
I praise the LORD God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. 33And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people. 34If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living LORD God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.
35David accepted the food Abigail had brought. "Don't worry," he said. "You can go home now. I'll do what you asked."
36Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night. 37But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. Nabal had a heart attack, and he lay in bed as still as a stone. 38Ten days later, the LORD took his life.
39-40David heard that Nabal had died. "I praise the LORD!" David said. "He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The LORD kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil."
Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.
David and Abigail Are Married
41She bowed down and said, "I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet." 42Abigail quickly got ready and went back with David's messengers. She rode on her donkey, while five of her servant women walked alongside. She and David were married as soon as she arrived.
43David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so both she and Abigail were now David's wives. [j]44Meanwhile, Saul had arranged for Michal [k] to marry Palti the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim. Footnotes:- 1 Samuel 24:4 small piece: Hebrew "corner" or "lower hem."
- 1 Samuel 25:1 at his home: Hebrew "in his house." Family tombs were sometimes underneath the house or in the courtyard of the home.
- 1 Samuel 25:1 Paran Desert: Hebrew; some manuscripts of one ancient translation "Maon Desert."
- 1 Samuel 25:2 Carmel: About one mile north of Maon in the Southern Desert of Judah.
- 1 Samuel 25:2 from the Caleb clan: Or "behaved like a dog."
- 1 Samuel 25:8 celebrating: Cutting the wool from the sheep was a time for celebrating as well as for working.
- 1 Samuel 25:11 servants: Hebrew "shearers," the servants who cut the wool from the sheep.
- 1 Samuel 25:11 I'm not sure. . . sent you: Or "I don't know where you come from."
- 1 Samuel 25:22 me: One ancient translation; Hebrew "my enemies."
- 1 Samuel 25:43 wives: Having more than one wife was allowed in those times.
- 1 Samuel 25:44 Michal: David's first wife (see 18.20--19.17).
43David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so both she and Abigail were now David's wives. [j]44Meanwhile, Saul had arranged for Michal [k] to marry Palti the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim.
Footnotes:
- 1 Samuel 24:4 small piece: Hebrew "corner" or "lower hem."
- 1 Samuel 25:1 at his home: Hebrew "in his house." Family tombs were sometimes underneath the house or in the courtyard of the home.
- 1 Samuel 25:1 Paran Desert: Hebrew; some manuscripts of one ancient translation "Maon Desert."
- 1 Samuel 25:2 Carmel: About one mile north of Maon in the Southern Desert of Judah.
- 1 Samuel 25:2 from the Caleb clan: Or "behaved like a dog."
- 1 Samuel 25:8 celebrating: Cutting the wool from the sheep was a time for celebrating as well as for working.
- 1 Samuel 25:11 servants: Hebrew "shearers," the servants who cut the wool from the sheep.
- 1 Samuel 25:11 I'm not sure. . . sent you: Or "I don't know where you come from."
- 1 Samuel 25:22 me: One ancient translation; Hebrew "my enemies."
- 1 Samuel 25:43 wives: Having more than one wife was allowed in those times.
- 1 Samuel 25:44 Michal: David's first wife (see 18.20--19.17).
John 10:22-42 (Contemporary English Version)
Jesus Is Rejected
22That winter, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Temple Festival. 23One day he was walking in that part of the temple known as Solomon's Porch, [a] 24and the people gathered all around him. They said, "How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly!" 25Jesus answered: I have told you, and you refused to believe me. The things I do by my Father's authority show who I am. 26But since you are not my sheep, you don't believe me.27My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, 28and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all others. [b] No one can snatch them from his hands, 30and I am one with the Father. 31Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus. 32But he said, "I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?"
33They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!"
34Jesus replied:
In your Scriptures doesn't God say, "You are gods"? 35You can't argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. 36So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am the Son of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also the one who sent me into the world. 37If I don't do as my Father does, you should not believe me. 38But if I do what my Father does, you should believe because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father.
39Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped 40and crossed the Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptizing. While Jesus was there, 41many people came to him. They were saying, "John didn't work any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true." 42A lot of those people also put their faith in Jesus.
Footnotes:- John 10:23 Solomon's Porch: A public place with tall columns along the east side of the temple.
- John 10:29 he is greater than all others: Some manuscripts have " they are greater than all others."
33They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!"
34Jesus replied:
In your Scriptures doesn't God say, "You are gods"? 35You can't argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. 36So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am the Son of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also the one who sent me into the world. 37If I don't do as my Father does, you should not believe me. 38But if I do what my Father does, you should believe because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father.
39Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped 40and crossed the Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptizing. While Jesus was there, 41many people came to him. They were saying, "John didn't work any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true." 42A lot of those people also put their faith in Jesus.
Footnotes:
- John 10:23 Solomon's Porch: A public place with tall columns along the east side of the temple.
- John 10:29 he is greater than all others: Some manuscripts have " they are greater than all others."
Psalm 116:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 116
When the LORD Saves You from Death
1I love you, LORD! You answered my prayers.
2You paid attention to me,
and so I will pray to you
as long as I live.
3Death attacked from all sides,
and I was captured
by its painful chains.
But when I was really hurting,
4I prayed and said,
"LORD,
please don't let me die!"
5You are kind, LORD,
so good and merciful.
6You protect ordinary people,
and when I was helpless,
you saved me
7and treated me so kindly
that I don't need
to worry anymore.
8You, LORD, have saved
my life from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9Now I will walk at your side
in this land of the living.
2You paid attention to me,
and so I will pray to you
as long as I live.
3Death attacked from all sides,
and I was captured
by its painful chains.
But when I was really hurting,
4I prayed and said,
"LORD,
please don't let me die!"
5You are kind, LORD,
so good and merciful.
6You protect ordinary people,
and when I was helpless,
you saved me
7and treated me so kindly
that I don't need
to worry anymore.
8You, LORD, have saved
my life from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9Now I will walk at your side
in this land of the living.
Proverbs 15:20-21 (Contemporary English Version)
20Children with good sense
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
are hateful to them.
21Stupidity brings happiness
to senseless fools,
but everyone with good sense
follows the straight path.
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
are hateful to them.
21Stupidity brings happiness
to senseless fools,
but everyone with good sense
follows the straight path.
Thought for the Day
“But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.” (James 3:17-18 - Contemporary English Version) True wisdom is shown by a gentle and kind disposition. But I assume the reverse is also true. A Christian who's harsh, arrogant and spiteful is not only a hypocrite, he's also a fool.
Quote for the Day
American biochemist and the creator of Structural Integration or "Rolfing", a pseudoscientific alternative medicine practice, Ida Pauline Rolf wrote, “An effective human being is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.”
A Joke for Today
A few moments after the daughter announced her engagement, her father asked, "Does this fellow have any money?"
The daughter shook her head sadly...
"Oh Daddy! You men are all alike," sighing deeply, she replied, "That's exactly what he asked me about you."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That Americans would respect and honor their parents and raise their children with compassion.
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