2 SAMUEL 1:1-2:11
JOHN 12:20-50
PSALM 118:19-29
PROVERBS 15:27-28
2 SAMUEL 1:1-2:11
After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day after David's return, a man arrived from the Israelite battlefront. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect. 3 " Where have you come from?" David asked. " I escaped from the Israelite camp," the man replied.4 " What happened?" David demanded. " Tell me how the battle went." The man replied, " Our entire army fled. Many men are dead and wounded on the battlefield, and Saul and his son Jonathan have been killed." 5 " How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?" David demanded. 6 The young man answered, " I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. I saw Saul there leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots closing in on him. 7 When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ` How can I help?' I asked him. 8 And he said to me, ` Who are you?' I replied, ` I am an Amalekite.' 9 Then he begged me, ` Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.' 10 " So I killed him," the Amalekite told David, " for I knew he couldn't live. Then I took his crown and one of his bracelets so I could bring them to you, my lord." 11 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD's army and the nation of Israel, because so many had died that day. 13 Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, " Where are you from?" And he replied, " I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land." 14 " Were you not afraid to kill the LORD's anointed one?" David asked. 15 Then David said to one of his men, " Kill him!" So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. 16 " You die self-condemned," David said, " for you yourself confessed that you killed the LORD's anointed one." 17 Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan. 18 Later he commanded that it be taught to all the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar.19 Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!
How the mighty heroes have fallen!
20 Don't announce the news in Gath,
or the Philistines will rejoice.
Don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the pagans will laugh in triumph.
21 O mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you or your slopes.
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled;
the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.
22 Both Saul and Jonathan killed their strongest foes;
they did not return from battle empty-handed.
23 How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!
They were together in life and in death.
They were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.
24 O women of Israel, weep for Saul,
for he dressed you in fine clothing and gold ornaments.
25 How the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies dead upon the hills.
26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!
Oh, how much I loved you!
And your love for me was deep,
deeper than the love of women!
27 How the mighty heroes have fallen!
Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.
2:1 AFTER this, David asked the LORD, " Should I move back to Judah?" And the LORD replied, " Yes." Then David asked, " Which town should I go to?" And the LORD replied, " Hebron." 2 David's wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives 3 and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled near the town of Hebron. 4 Then Judah's leaders came to David and crowned him king over the tribe of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, 5 he sent them this message: " May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your king and giving him a decent burial. 6 May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. 7 And now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king." 8 But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul's son Ishbosheth. 9 There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel. 10 Ishbosheth was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David. 11 David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.
JOHN 12:20-50
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover 21 paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, " Sir, we want to meet Jesus." 22 Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, " The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone--a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. 27 Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ` Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, " I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. 30 Then Jesus told them, " The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up on the cross,* I will draw everyone to myself." 33 He said this to indicate how he was going to die.34 " Die?" asked the crowd. " We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?" 35 Jesus replied, " My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going. 36 Believe in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. 37 But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: " Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?"
39 But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said, 40 " The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them."
41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah's glory. 42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God. 44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, " If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness. 47 If anyone hears me and doesn't obey me, I am not his judge--for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48 But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49 I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say. 50 And I know his instructions lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say!"
PSALM 118:19-29
Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
and I will go in and thank the LORD.
20 Those gates lead to the presence of the LORD,
and the godly enter there.
21 I thank you for answering my prayer
and saving me!
22 The stone rejected by the builders
has now become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD's doing,
and it is marvelous to see.
24 This is the day the LORD has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, LORD, please save us.
Please, LORD, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, shining upon us.
Bring forward the sacrifice and put it on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you!
You are my God, and I will exalt you!
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
PROVERBS 15:27-28
Dishonest money brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live. The godly think before speaking; the wicked spout evil words.
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