1
David said to himself, "One of these days Saul will kill me. The best thing for me to do is to escape to Philistia. Then Saul will give up looking for me in Israel, and I will be safe."
2
So David and his six hundred men went over at once to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3
David and his men settled there in Gath with their families. David had his two wives with him, Ahinoam from Jezreel, and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel.
4
When Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he gave up trying to find him.
5
David said to Achish, "If you are my friend, let me have a small town to live in. There is no need, sir, for me to live with you in the capital city."
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So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag, and for this reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.
7
David lived in Philistia for sixteen months.
8
During that time David and his men would attack the people of Geshur, Girzi, and Amalek, who had been living in the region a very long time. He would raid their land as far as Shur, all the way down to Egypt,
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killing all the men and women and taking the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and even the clothes. Then he would come back to Achish,
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who would ask him, "Where did you go on a raid this time?" and David would tell him that he had gone to the southern part of Judah or to the territory of the clan of Jerahmeel or to the territory where the Kenites lived.
11
David would kill everyone, men and women, so that no one could go back to Gath and report what he and his men had really done. This is what David did the whole time he lived in Philistia.
12
But Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He is hated so much by his own people the Israelites that he will have to serve me all his life."
1
All the people of Israel were listed according to their families, and this information was recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel. The people of Judah had been deported to Babylon as punishment for their sins.
2
The first to return to their property in the cities included Israelite citizens, priests, Levites, and Temple workers.
3
People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went to live in Jerusalem.
4
There were 690 families of the tribe of Judah who lived in Jerusalem. The descendants of Judah's son Perez had as their leader Uthai, the son of Ammihud and grandson of Omri. His other ancestors included Imri and Bani. The descendants of Judah's son Shelah had as their leader Asaiah, who was the head of his family. The descendants of Judah's son Zerah had Jeuel as their leader.
7
The following members of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem: Sallu son of Meshullam, who was the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah Ibneiah son of Jeroham Elah, the son of Uzzi and grandson of Michri Meshullam son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah
9
There were 956 families of this tribe living there. All the men named above were heads of families.
10
The following priests lived in Jerusalem: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin Azariah son of Hilkiah (the chief official in the Temple), whose ancestors included Meshullam, Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub Adaiah son of Jeroham, whose ancestors included Pashhur and Malchijah Maasai son of Adiel, whose ancestors included Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, and Immer
13
The priests who were heads of families totaled 1,760. They were experts in all the work carried on in the Temple.
14
The following Levites lived in Jerusalem: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, whose ancestors included Azrikam and Hashabiah, of the clan of Merari Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal Mattaniah son of Mica, whose ancestors included Zichri and Asaph Obadiah son of Shemaiah, whose ancestors included Galal and Jeduthun Berechiah, the son of Asa and grandson of Elkanah, who lived in the territory that belonged to the town of Netophah
17
The following Temple guards lived in Jerusalem: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman. Shallum was their leader.
18
Down to that time members of their clans had been stationed at the eastern entrance to the King's Gate. Formerly they had stood guard at the gates to the camps of the Levites.
19
Shallum, the son of Kore and grandson of Ebiasaph, together with his fellow members of the clan of Korah, was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tent of the LORD's presence, just as their ancestors had been when they were in charge of the LORD's camp.
20
Phinehas son of Eleazar---may the LORD be with him!---had supervised them at one time.
21
Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also a guard at the entrance to the Tent of the LORD's presence.
22
In all, 212 men were chosen as guards for the entrances and gates. They were registered according to the villages where they lived. It was King David and the prophet Samuel who had put their ancestors in these responsible positions.
23
They and their descendants continued to guard the gates to the Temple.
24
There was a gate facing in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and each had a chief guard.
25
These guards were assisted by their relatives, who lived in the villages and who had to take turns at guard duty for seven days at a time.
26
The four chief guards were Levites and had the final responsibility. They were also responsible for the rooms in the Temple and for the supplies kept there.
27
They lived near the Temple, because it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.
28
Other Levites were responsible for the utensils used in worship. They checked them out and checked them back in every time they were used.
29
Others were in charge of the other sacred equipment, and of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices.
30
But the responsibility for mixing the spices belonged to the priests.
31
A Levite named Mattithiah, oldest son of Shallum, of the clan of Korah, was responsible for preparing the baked offerings.
32
Members of the clan of Kohath were responsible for preparing the sacred bread for the Temple every Sabbath.
33
Some Levite families were responsible for the Temple music. The heads of these families lived in some of the Temple buildings and were free from other duties, because they were on call day and night.
34
The men named above were heads of Levite families, according to their ancestral lines. They were the leaders who lived in Jerusalem.
35
Jeiel founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah.
36
His oldest son was Abdon, and his other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37
Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth,
38
the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.
39
Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40
Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal, who was the father of Micah.
41
Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
42
Ahaz was the father of Jarah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza,
43
Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Rephaiah, Rephaiah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.
44
Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.
1
I call to you, LORD; help me now! Listen to me when I call to you.
2
Receive my prayer as incense, my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice.
3
LORD, place a guard at my mouth, a sentry at the door of my lips.
4
Keep me from wanting to do wrong and from joining evil people in their wickedness. May I never take part in their feasts.
5
Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness, but I will never accept honor from evil people, because I am always praying against their evil deeds.
6
When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs, the people will admit that my words were true.
7
Like wood that is split and chopped into bits, so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave.
8
But I keep trusting in you, my Sovereign LORD. I seek your protection; don't let me die!
9
Protect me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those evildoers.
10
May the wicked fall into their own traps while I go by unharmed.
1
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness.
2
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee;
3
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4
Simon the Patriot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
5
These twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: "Do not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns.
6
Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.
7
Go and preach, 'The Kingdom of heaven is near!'
8
Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid.
9
Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets;
10
do not carry a beggar's bag for the trip or an extra shirt or shoes or a walking stick. Workers should be given what they need.
11
"When you come to a town or village, go in and look for someone who is willing to welcome you, and stay with him until you leave that place.
12
When you go into a house, say, 'Peace be with you.'
13
If the people in that house welcome you, let your greeting of peace remain; but if they do not welcome you, then take back your greeting.
14
And if some home or town will not welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place and shake the dust off your feet.
15
I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to the people of that town!
16
"Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.
17
Watch out, for there will be those who will arrest you and take you to court, and they will whip you in the synagogues.
18
For my sake you will be brought to trial before rulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles.
19
When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going to say or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you will say.
20
For the words you will speak will not be yours; they will come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21
"People will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.
22
Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.
23
When they persecute you in one town, run away to another one. I assure you that you will not finish your work in all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24
"No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master.
25
So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!
26
"So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.
27
What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops.
28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
29
For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent.
30
As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
31
So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!
32
"Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven.
33
But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.
34
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35
I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law;
36
your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.
37
"Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples.
38
Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples.
39
Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.
40
"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
41
Whoever welcomes God's messenger because he is God's messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward.
42
You can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of cold water to one of the least of these my followers because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward."
