Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 2 Samuel 12:1–31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; and Proverbs 16:4-5. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
2 Samuel 12:1-31 (Contemporary English Version)
2 Samuel 12
The LORD's Message for David
1and he sent Nathan the prophet to tell this story to David: A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. 2The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children.
4One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle and serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead.
5David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this deserves to die! 6And because he didn't have any pity on the poor man, he will have to pay four times what the lamb was worth."
7Then Nathan told David:
You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: "I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul 8and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. 9Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife.
10"Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself, your family will never live in peace. 11Someone from your own family will cause you a lot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. 12What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see."
13-14David said, "I have disobeyed the LORD."
"Yes, you have!" Nathan answered. "You showed you didn't care what the LORD wanted. [a] He has forgiven you, and you won't die. But your newborn son will." 15Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.
4One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle and serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead.
5David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this deserves to die! 6And because he didn't have any pity on the poor man, he will have to pay four times what the lamb was worth."
7Then Nathan told David:
You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: "I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul 8and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. 9Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife.
10"Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself, your family will never live in peace. 11Someone from your own family will cause you a lot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. 12What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see."
13-14David said, "I have disobeyed the LORD."
"Yes, you have!" Nathan answered. "You showed you didn't care what the LORD wanted. [a] He has forgiven you, and you won't die. But your newborn son will." 15Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.
David's Young Son Dies
16So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor. 17His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them. 18After the child had been sick for seven days, he died, but the officials were afraid to tell David. They said to each other, "Even when the boy was alive, David wouldn't listen to us. How can we tell him his son is dead? He might do something terrible!"
19David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants.
"Yes, he did," they answered.
20David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the LORD's tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.
21His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."
22David answered:
While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live." 23But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.
19David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants.
"Yes, he did," they answered.
20David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the LORD's tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.
21His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."
22David answered:
While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live." 23But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.
Solomon Is Born
24David comforted his wife Bathsheba and slept with her. Later on, she gave birth to another son and named him Solomon. The LORD loved Solomon 25and sent Nathan the prophet to tell David, "The LORD will call him Jedidiah." [b]
The End of the War with Ammon
(1 Chronicles 20.1b-3)
26Meanwhile, Joab had been in the country of Ammon, attacking the city of Rabbah. He captured the royal fortress 27and sent a messenger to tell David: I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply. 28Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don't, everyone will remember that I captured the city.
29David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city 30and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. [c] The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. [d] He also carried off everything else of value. 31David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls [e] with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.
Footnotes:- 2 Samuel 12:13 what. . . wanted: One manuscript of one ancient translation; one Hebrew manuscript "what the LORD had said"; most Hebrew manuscripts "what the enemies of the LORD would think."
- 2 Samuel 12:25 Jedidiah: In Hebrew this name means "Loved by the LORD."
- 2 Samuel 12:30 the statue of their god Milcom: Or "their king."
- 2 Samuel 12:30 David. . . crown: Or "and David wore the crown."
- 2 Samuel 12:31 tear. . . walls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
29David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city 30and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. [c] The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. [d] He also carried off everything else of value. 31David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls [e] with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.
Footnotes:
- 2 Samuel 12:13 what. . . wanted: One manuscript of one ancient translation; one Hebrew manuscript "what the LORD had said"; most Hebrew manuscripts "what the enemies of the LORD would think."
- 2 Samuel 12:25 Jedidiah: In Hebrew this name means "Loved by the LORD."
- 2 Samuel 12:30 the statue of their god Milcom: Or "their king."
- 2 Samuel 12:30 David. . . crown: Or "and David wore the crown."
- 2 Samuel 12:31 tear. . . walls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
John 16:1-33 (Contemporary English Version)
John 16
1I am telling you this to keep you from being afraid. 2You will be chased out of the Jewish meeting places. And the time will come when people will kill you and think they are doing God a favor. 3They will do these things because they don't know either the Father or me. 4I am saying this to you now, so that when the time comes, you will remember what I have said. I was with you at the first, and so I didn't tell you these things.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
5But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. 6You are very sad from hearing all of this. 7But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you. 8The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. 9The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. 10They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. 11And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.
12I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. 13The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. 15Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
12I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. 13The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. 15Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16Jesus told his disciples, "For a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. " 17They said to each other, "What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying that he is going to the Father? 18What is this `little while' that he is talking about? We don't know what he means."
19Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said:
You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. 20I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
21When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world. 22You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. 23When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain that the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 24You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name. [a] Then it will be given to you, so that you will be completely happy. 25I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these. 26You will ask the Father in my name, [b] and I won't have to ask him for you. 27God the Father loves you because you love me, and you believe that I have come from him. 28I came from the Father into the world, but I am leaving the world and returning to the Father. 29The disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly to us! You are not using examples. 30At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe that you truly have come from God."
31Jesus replied:
Do you really believe me? 32The time will come and is already here when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go back home and leave me by myself. But the Father will be with me, and I won't be alone. 33I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world. [c]
Footnotes:- John 16:24 in my name. . . in my name: Or " as my disciples. . . as my disciples."
- John 16:26 in my name: Or " because you are my followers."
- John 16:33 world: See the note at 12.31.
19Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said:
You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. 20I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
21When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world. 22You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. 23When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain that the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 24You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name. [a] Then it will be given to you, so that you will be completely happy. 25I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these. 26You will ask the Father in my name, [b] and I won't have to ask him for you. 27God the Father loves you because you love me, and you believe that I have come from him. 28I came from the Father into the world, but I am leaving the world and returning to the Father. 29The disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly to us! You are not using examples. 30At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe that you truly have come from God."
31Jesus replied:
Do you really believe me? 32The time will come and is already here when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go back home and leave me by myself. But the Father will be with me, and I won't be alone. 33I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world. [c]
Footnotes:
- John 16:24 in my name. . . in my name: Or " as my disciples. . . as my disciples."
- John 16:26 in my name: Or " because you are my followers."
- John 16:33 world: See the note at 12.31.
Psalm 119:65-80 (Contemporary English Version)
65I am your servant, LORD,
and you have kept your promise
to treat me with kindness.
66Give me wisdom and good sense.
I trust your commands.
67Once you corrected me
for not obeying you,
but now I obey.
68You are kindhearted,
and you do good things,
so teach me your laws.
69My reputation is being ruined
by conceited liars,
but with all my heart
I follow your teachings.
70Those liars have no sense,
but I find happiness
in your Law.
71When you corrected me,
it did me good
because it taught me
to study your laws.
72I would rather obey you
than to have a thousand pieces
of silver and gold.
73You created me
and put me together.
Make me wise enough to learn
what you have commanded.
74Your worshipers will see me,
and they will be glad
that I trust your word.
75Your decisions are correct,
and you were right
to punish me.
76I serve you, LORD.
Comfort me with your love,
just as you have promised.
77I love to obey your Law!
Have mercy and let me live.
78Put down those proud people
who hurt me with their lies,
because I have chosen
to study your teachings.
79Let your worshipers come to me,
so they will learn
to obey your rules.
80Let me truly respect your laws,
so I won't be ashamed.
and you have kept your promise
to treat me with kindness.
66Give me wisdom and good sense.
I trust your commands.
67Once you corrected me
for not obeying you,
but now I obey.
68You are kindhearted,
and you do good things,
so teach me your laws.
69My reputation is being ruined
by conceited liars,
but with all my heart
I follow your teachings.
70Those liars have no sense,
but I find happiness
in your Law.
71When you corrected me,
it did me good
because it taught me
to study your laws.
72I would rather obey you
than to have a thousand pieces
of silver and gold.
73You created me
and put me together.
Make me wise enough to learn
what you have commanded.
74Your worshipers will see me,
and they will be glad
that I trust your word.
75Your decisions are correct,
and you were right
to punish me.
76I serve you, LORD.
Comfort me with your love,
just as you have promised.
77I love to obey your Law!
Have mercy and let me live.
78Put down those proud people
who hurt me with their lies,
because I have chosen
to study your teachings.
79Let your worshipers come to me,
so they will learn
to obey your rules.
80Let me truly respect your laws,
so I won't be ashamed.
Proverbs 16:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)
4The LORD has a reason
for everything he does,
and he lets evil people live
only to be punished.
5The LORD doesn't like
anyone who is conceited--
you can be sure
they will be punished.
for everything he does,
and he lets evil people live
only to be punished.
5The LORD doesn't like
anyone who is conceited--
you can be sure
they will be punished.
Thought for the Day
“But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.” (Acts 20:24 - Contemporary English Version) As Christians, this is what we're called to do. It's our job to tell others about God's great kindness. And based on how believers often treat one another, we may want to apply this same message in our own relationships.
Quote for the Day
Scottish-American preacher, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and was appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate, Peter Marshall wrote, “May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”
A Joke for Today
A new preacher wanted to rent a house in the country but the only one available was rumored to be haunted. That didn’t bother the preacher since he didn’t believe in such things. He went ahead and rented the place.
Soon the ghost made its appearance. The preacher told his friends about the ghost, but they didn’t believe him. They told him the only way they would believe was if he took a picture of the ghost.
The preacher went home and called for the ghost. When it appeared, the preacher explained the situation and asked the ghost if it would mind having its picture taken. The ghost agreed.
When the picture was developed, the ghost wasn’t visible. Feeling disappointed, the preacher called again for the ghost. When it appeared, the preacher showed it the picture and wanted to know why the ghost wasn’t in it. The ghost thought a minute and replied, “Well, I guess the spirit was willing, but the flash was weak.”
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 we condemn racism in all of its forms.
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