1
Some time later the Philistines gathered their troops to fight Israel, and Achish said to David, "Of course you understand that you and your men are to fight on my side."
2
"Of course," David answered. "I am your servant, and you will see for yourself what I can do." Achish said, "Good! I will make you my permanent bodyguard."
3
Now Samuel had died, and all the Israelites had mourned for him and had buried him in his hometown of Ramah. Saul had forced all the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel.
4
The Philistine troops assembled and camped near the town of Shunem; Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa.
5
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was terrified,
6
and so he asked the LORD what to do. But the LORD did not answer him at all, either by dreams or by the use of Urim and Thummim or by prophets.
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Then Saul ordered his officials, "Find me a woman who is a medium, and I will go and consult her." "There is one in Endor," they answered.
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So Saul disguised himself; he put on different clothes, and after dark he went with two of his men to see the woman. "Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen," he said to her. "Call up the spirit of the man I name."
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The woman answered, "Surely you know what King Saul has done, how he forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. Why, then, are you trying to trap me and get me killed?"
10
Then Saul made a sacred vow. "By the living LORD I promise that you will not be punished for doing this," he told her.
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"Whom shall I call up for you?" the woman asked. "Samuel," he answered.
12
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed and said to Saul, "Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!"
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"Don't be afraid!" the king said to her. "What do you see?" "I see a spirit coming up from the earth," she answered.
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"What does it look like?" he asked. "It's an old man coming up," she answered. "He is wearing a cloak." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed to the ground in respect.
15
Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back?" Saul answered, "I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't answer me any more, either by prophets or by dreams. And so I have called you, for you to tell me what I must do."
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Samuel said, "Why do you call me when the LORD has abandoned you and become your enemy?
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The LORD has done to you what he told you through me: he has taken the kingdom away from you and given it to David instead.
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You disobeyed the LORD's command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all they had. That is why the LORD is doing this to you now.
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He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me, and the LORD will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines."
20
At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground, terrified by what Samuel had said. He was weak, because he had not eaten anything all day and all night.
21
The woman went over to him and saw that he was terrified, so she said to him, "Please, sir, I risked my life by doing what you asked.
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Now please do what I ask. Let me fix you some food. You must eat so that you will be strong enough to travel."
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Saul refused and said he would not eat anything. But his officers also urged him to eat. He finally gave in, got up from the ground, and sat on the bed.
24
The woman quickly killed a calf which she had been fattening. Then she took some flour, prepared it, and baked some bread without yeast.
25
She set the food before Saul and his officers, and they ate it. And they left that same night.
1
The Philistines brought all their troops together at Aphek, while the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel Valley.
2
The five Philistine kings marched out with their units of a hundred and of a thousand men; David and his men marched in the rear with King Achish.
3
The Philistine commanders saw them and asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish answered, "This is David, an official of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me for quite some time now. He has done nothing I can find fault with since the day he came over to me."
4
But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said to him, "Send that fellow back to the town you gave him. Don't let him go into battle with us; he might turn against us during the fighting. What better way is there for him to win back his master's favor than by the death of our men?
5
After all, this is David, the one about whom the women sang, as they danced, 'Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands.' "
6
Achish called David and said to him, "I swear by the living God of Israel that you have been loyal to me; and I would be pleased to have you go with me and fight in this battle. I have not found any fault in you from the day you came over to me. But the other kings don't approve of you.
7
So go back home in peace, and don't do anything that would displease them."
8
David answered, "What have I done wrong, sir? If, as you say, you haven't found any fault in me since the day I started serving you, why shouldn't I go with you, my master and king, and fight your enemies?"
9
"I agree," Achish replied. "I consider you as loyal as an angel of God. But the other kings have said that you can't go with us into battle.
10
So then, David, tomorrow morning all of you who left Saul and came over to me will have to get up early and leave as soon as it's light."
11
So David and his men started out early the following morning to go back to Philistia, and the Philistines went on to Jezreel.
1
I praise you, God; don't remain silent!
2
Wicked people and liars have attacked me. They tell lies about me,
3
and they say evil things about me, attacking me for no reason.
4
They oppose me, even though I love them and have prayed for them.
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They pay me back evil for good and hatred for love.
6
Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy, and let one of his own enemies accuse him.
7
May he be tried and found guilty; may even his prayer be considered a crime!
8
May his life soon be ended; may someone else take his job!
9
May his children become orphans, and his wife a widow!
10
May his children be homeless beggars; may they be driven from the ruins they live in!
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May his creditors take away all his property, and may strangers get everything he worked for.
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May no one ever be kind to him or care for the orphans he leaves behind.
13
May all his descendants die, and may his name be forgotten in the next generation.
14
May the LORD remember the evil of his ancestors and never forgive his mother's sins.
15
May the LORD always remember their sins, but may they themselves be completely forgotten!
16
That man never thought of being kind; he persecuted and killed the poor, the needy, and the helpless.
17
He loved to curse---may he be cursed! He hated to give blessings---may no one bless him!
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He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself; may his own curses soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil!
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May they cover him like clothes and always be around him like a belt!
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LORD, punish my enemies in that way--- those who say such evil things against me!
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But my Sovereign LORD, help me as you have promised, and rescue me because of the goodness of your love.
22
I am poor and needy; I am hurt to the depths of my heart.
23
Like an evening shadow I am about to vanish; I am blown away like an insect.
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My knees are weak from lack of food; I am nothing but skin and bones.
25
When people see me, they laugh at me; they shake their heads in scorn.
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Help me, O LORD my God; because of your constant love, save me!
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Make my enemies know that you are the one who saves me.
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They may curse me, but you will bless me. May my persecutors be defeated, and may I, your servant, be glad.
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May my enemies be covered with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
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I will give loud thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the assembly of the people,
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because he defends the poor and saves them from those who condemn them to death.
1
When Jesus finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he left that place and went off to teach and preach in the towns near there.
2
When John the Baptist heard in prison about the things that Christ was doing, he sent some of his disciples to him.
3
"Tell us," they asked Jesus, "are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?"
4
Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John what you are hearing and seeing:
5
the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.
6
How happy are those who have no doubts about me!"
7
While John's disciples were leaving, Jesus spoke about him to the crowds: "When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind?
8
What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that live in palaces!
9
Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.
10
For John is the one of whom the scripture says: 'God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.'
11
I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John.
12
From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks, and violent men try to seize it.
13
Until the time of John all the prophets and the Law of Moses spoke about the Kingdom;
14
and if you are willing to believe their message, John is Elijah, whose coming was predicted.
15
Listen, then, if you have ears!
16
"Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group shouts to the other,
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'We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!'
18
When John came, he fasted and drank no wine, and everyone said, 'He has a demon in him!'
19
When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and everyone said, 'Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!' God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results."
20
The people in the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles did not turn from their sins, so he reproached those towns.
21
"How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you too, Bethsaida! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have long ago put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on themselves, to show that they had turned from their sins!
22
I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Tyre and Sidon than to you!
23
And as for you, Capernaum! Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven? You will be thrown down to hell! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would still be in existence today!
24
You can be sure that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to Sodom than to you!"
25
At that time Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned.
26
Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.
27
"My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28
"Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
29
Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.
30
For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light."
