A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Psalm 56:4 - I praise your promises! I trust you and I'm not afraid. No one can harm me.

Bible Readings for May 31, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 17:1-29; John 19:23-42; Psalm 119:129-152; and Proverbs 16:12-13. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below. 

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2 Samuel 17:1-29 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 17

 ¹Ahithophel said to Absalom:    Let me choose twelve thousand men and attack David tonight, ²while he is tired and discouraged. He will panic, and everyone with him will run away. I won't kill anyone except David, ³since he's the one you want to get rid of. Then I'll bring the whole nation back to you like a bride coming home to her husband. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} This way there won't be a civil war. 

Hushai Fools Absalom

 ⁴Absalom and all the leaders of the tribes of Israel agreed that Ahithophel had a good plan. ⁵Then Absalom said, "Bring in Hushai the Archite. Let's hear what he has to say."     ⁶Hushai came in, and Absalom told him what Ahithophel had planned. Then Absalom said, "Should we do what he says? And if we shouldn't, can you come up with anything better?"
    ⁷Hushai said:
   This time Ahithophel's advice isn't so good. ⁸You know that your father and his followers are real warriors. Right now they are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Besides, your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars, and he won't be spending the night with the others. ⁹He has probably already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else.
   As soon as anyone hears that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your whole army has been destroyed. ¹⁰Then even those who are as brave as a lion will lose their courage. All Israel knows what a great warrior your father is and what brave soldiers he has.
    ¹¹My advice is to gather all the fighting men of Israel from the town of Dan in the north down to the town of Beersheba in the south. You will have more soldiers than there are grains of sand on the seashore. Absalom, you should lead them yourself, ¹²and we will all go to fight David wherever he is. We will fall on him just as dew falls and covers the ground. He and all his soldiers will die! ¹³If they go into a walled town, we will put ropes around that town and drag it into the river. We won't leave even one small piece of a stone.
    ¹⁴Absalom and the others liked Hushai's plan better than Ahithophel's plan. This was because the LORD had decided to keep Ahithophel's plan from working and to cause trouble for Absalom.     

Jonathan and Ahimaaz Tell David the News

 ¹⁵Right away, Hushai went to Zadok and Abiathar. He told them what advice Ahithophel had given to Absalom and to the leaders of Israel. He also told them about the advice he had given. ¹⁶Then he said, "Hurry! Send someone to warn David not to spend the night on this side of the river. He must get across the river, so he and the others won't be wiped out!"     ¹⁷Jonathan and Ahimaaz ^[b<="">] had been waiting at Rogel Spring ^[c<="">] because they did not want to be seen in Jerusalem. A servant girl went to the spring and gave them the message for David. ¹⁸But a young man saw them and went to tell Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left and hurried to the house of a man who lived in Bahurim. Then they climbed down into a well in the courtyard. ¹⁹The man's wife put the cover on the well and poured grain on top of it, so the well could not be seen. ^[d<="">] 20Absalom's soldiers came to the woman and demanded, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?"
   The woman answered, "They went across the stream."
   The soldiers went off to look for the two men. But when they did not find the men, they went back to Jerusalem.
    ²¹After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, "Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!" Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.
    ²²David and the others got ready and started crossing the Jordan River. By sunrise all of them were on the other side.     

Ahithophel Kills Himself

 ²³When Ahithophel saw that Absalom and the leaders of Israel were not going to follow his advice, he saddled his donkey and rode back to his home in Gilo. He told his family and servants what to do. Then he hanged himself, and they buried him in his family's burial place.     

Absalom Puts Amasa in Charge of the Army

 ²⁴David went to the town of Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan River with the army of Israel. ²⁵Absalom put Amasa in Joab's place as commander of the army. Amasa's father was Ithra ^[e<="">] from the family of Ishmael, ^[f<="">]and his mother was Abigal, ^[g<="">] the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah. ²⁶The Israelites under Absalom's command set up camp in the region of Gilead.

Friends Bring Supplies to David

 ²⁷After David came to the town of Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash came from Rabbah in Ammon, ^[h<="">] Machir the son of Ammiel came from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim. ^28-29Here is a list of what they brought: sleeping mats, blankets, bowls, pottery jars, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, yogurt, sheep, and cheese.    They brought the food for David and the others because they knew that everyone would be hungry, tired, and thirsty from being out in the desert.
    

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 17:3 back to you. . . husband: One ancient translation; Hebrew "back to you. The man you are chasing is like bringing back the whole nation."
2. 2 Samuel 17:17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz: See 15.27.
3. 2 Samuel 17:17 Rogel Spring: South of Jerusalem in Kidron Valley.
4. 2 Samuel 17:19 The man's wife. . . seen: Everyone would have thought that the woman was drying grain on a mat that she had spread on the ground.
5. 2 Samuel 17:25 Ithra: Or "Jether."
6. 2 Samuel 17:25 the family of Ishmael: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; other manuscripts of the same translation "the town of Jezreel"; Hebrew "the people of Israel."
7. 2 Samuel 17:25 Amasa. . . Abigal: Abigal and Zeruiah (Joab's mother) were full sisters, and David was evidently their half brother with the same mother, but a different father. This made Amasa one of David's nephews (see 1 Chronicles 2.12-17).
8. 2 Samuel 17:27 Shobi. . . Ammon: Shobi was probably the new king of the Ammonites that David had appointed after he captured Rabbah (see 2 Samuel 10.1-3; 12.26-31).

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John 19:23-42 (Contemporary English Version)

²³After the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the cross, they divided up his clothes into four parts, one for each of them. But his outer garment was made from a single piece of cloth, and it did not have any seams. ²⁴The soldiers said to each other, "Let's not rip it apart. We will gamble to see who gets it." This happened so that the Scriptures would come true, which say,
   "They divided up my clothes
   and gambled
   for my garments."
   The soldiers then did what they had decided.
    ²⁵Jesus' mother stood beside his cross with her sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 26}When Jesus saw his mother and his favorite disciple with her, he said to his mother, "This man is now your son." ²⁷Then he said to the disciple, "She is now your mother." From then on, that disciple took her into his own home. 

The Death of Jesus

(Matthew 27.45-56; Mark 15.33-41; Luke 23.44-49)

 ²⁸Jesus knew that he had now finished his work. And in order to make the Scriptures come true, he said, "I am thirsty!" ²⁹A jar of cheap wine was there. Someone then soaked a sponge with the wine and held it up to Jesus' mouth on the stem of a hyssop plant. ³⁰After Jesus drank the wine, he said, "Everything is done!" He bowed his head and died.     

A Spear Is Stuck in Jesus' Side

 ³¹The next day would be both a Sabbath and the Passover. It was a special day for the Jewish people, ^[b<="">] and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses during that day. So they asked Pilate to break the men's legs ^[c<="">] and take their bodies down. ³²The soldiers first broke the legs of the other two men who were nailed there. ³³But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, and they did not break his legs. ³⁴One of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side, and blood and water came out. ³⁵We know this is true, because it was told by someone who saw it happen. Now you can have faith too. ³⁶All this happened so that the Scriptures would come true, which say, "No bone of his body will be broken" ³⁷and, "They will see the one in whose side they stuck a spear."     

Jesus Is Buried

(Matthew 27.57-61; Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56)

 ³⁸Joseph from Arimathea was one of Jesus' disciples. He had kept it secret though, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. But now he asked Pilate to let him have Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission, and Joseph took it down from the cross.     ³⁹Nicodemus also came with about seventy-five pounds of spices made from myrrh and aloes. This was the same Nicodemus who had visited Jesus one night. ^[d<="">] 40The two men wrapped the body in a linen cloth, together with the spices, which was how the Jewish people buried their dead. ⁴¹In the place where Jesus had been nailed to a cross, there was a garden with a tomb that had never been used. ⁴²The tomb was nearby, and since it was the time to prepare for the Sabbath, they were in a hurry to put Jesus' body there. 

Footnotes:

1. John 19:25 Jesus' mother stood beside his cross with her sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too: The Greek text may also be understood to include only three women (" Jesus' mother stood beside the cross with her sister, Mary the mother of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too." ) or merely two women (" Jesus' mother was standing there with her sister Mary of Clopas, that is, Mary Magdalene." ). " Of Clopas" may mean " daughter of" or " mother of."
2. John 19:31 a special day for the Jewish people: Passover could be any day of the week. But according to the Gospel of John, Passover was on a Sabbath in the year that Jesus was nailed to a cross.
3. John 19:31 break the men's legs: This was the way that the Romans sometimes speeded up the death of a person who had been nailed to a cross.
4. John 19:39 Nicodemus who had visited Jesus one night: See 3.1-21.

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Psalm 119:129-152 (Contemporary English Version)

¹²⁹Your teachings are wonderful,
   and I respect them all.
    ¹³⁰Understanding your word
   brings light
   to the minds
   of ordinary people.
    ¹³¹I honestly want to know
   everything you teach.
    ¹³²Think about me and be kind,
   just as you are to everyone
   who loves your name.
    ¹³³Keep your promise
   and don't let me stumble
   or let sin control my life.
    ¹³⁴Protect me from abuse,
   so I can obey your laws.
    ¹³⁵Smile on me, your servant,
   and teach me your laws.
    ¹³⁶When anyone disobeys you,
   my eyes overflow with tears.
    ¹³⁷Our LORD, you always do right,
   and your decisions are fair.
    ¹³⁸All of your teachings are true
   and trustworthy.
    ¹³⁹It upsets me greatly
   when my enemies neglect
   your teachings.
    ¹⁴⁰Your word to me, your servant,
   is like pure gold;
   I treasure what you say.
    ¹⁴¹Everyone calls me a nobody,
   but I remember your laws.
    ¹⁴²You will always do right,
   and your teachings are true.
    ¹⁴³I am in deep distress,
   but I love your teachings.
    ¹⁴⁴Your rules are always fair.
   Help me to understand them
   and live.
    ¹⁴⁵I pray to you, LORD!
   Please answer me.
   I promise to obey your laws.
    ¹⁴⁶I beg you to save me,
   so I can follow your rules.
    ¹⁴⁷Even before sunrise,
   I pray for your help,
   and I put my hope
   in what you have said.
    ¹⁴⁸I lie awake at night,
   thinking of your promises.
    ¹⁴⁹Show that you love me, LORD,
   and answer my prayer.
   Please do the right thing
   and save my life.
    ¹⁵⁰People who disobey your Law
   have made evil plans
   and want to hurt me,
    ¹⁵¹but you are with me,
   and all of your commands
   can be trusted.
    ¹⁵²From studying your laws,
   I found out long ago
   that you made them
   to last forever. 

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Proverbs 16:12-13 (Contemporary English Version)

¹²Justice makes rulers powerful.
   They should hate evil
    ¹³and like honesty and truth.

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Verse of the Day

“With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

 

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Thought for the Day

American comedian, Fred Allen wrote, “A celebrity is a person who works hard all of their life to become well known, and then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.” 

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A Joke for Today

Two vampire bats are hanging upside down in a cave. One of the bats feels rather hungry. "Let's go and find some blood", he suggests.

"I don't think you can get any blood this time of the day", says the other bat. "Well, I want some blood and I want it now!", says the first bat and prepares to take off. "Are you coming or what?"

"Don't be stupid, you'll just waste your time", says the second bat. So the first bat flies anyway. After a few minutes he is back with blood smeared all over his face.

"Where did you manage to find blood this time of the day?", asks the second bat. "Well, do you see that tree out there?", says the first bat and points at a tree outside the cave, "Do you see that tree?"

"Yes", says the second bat, "of course I see it".

"Well, I didn't", replies the first.

A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Psalm 103:17-28 - The Lord is always kind to those who worship him, and he keeps his promises to their descendants who faithfully obey him.

Bible Readings for May 30, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 15:23–16:23; John 18:25–19:22; Psalm 119:113-128; and Proverbs 16:10-11.The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below. 

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2 Samuel 15:23-16:23 (Contemporary English Version)

David Sends the Sacred Chest Back to Jerusalem

 ²³The people of Jerusalem were crying and moaning as David and everyone with him passed by. He led them across Kidron Valley ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} and along the road toward the desert. ²⁴Zadok and Abiathar the priests were there along with several men from the tribe of Levi who were carrying the sacred chest. They set the chest down, and left it there until David and his followers had gone out of the city.     ²⁵Then David said: 
   Zadok, take the sacred chest back to Jerusalem. If the LORD is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and his tent again. ²⁶But if he says he isn't pleased with me, then let him do what he knows is best. 
    ²⁷Zadok, you are a good judge of things, ^[b<="">] so return to the city and don't cause any trouble. Take your son Ahimaaz with you. Abiathar and his son Jonathan will also go back. ²⁸I'll wait at the river crossing in the desert until I hear from you. ²⁹Zadok and Abiathar took the sacred chest back into Jerusalem and stayed there. ³⁰David went on up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying, and he covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying, and they covered their heads too. 
    ³¹Someone told David, "Ahithophel is helping Absalom plot against you!" 
   David said, "Please, LORD, keep Ahithophel's plans from working!"     

David Sends Hushai Back as a Spy

 ³²When David reached the top of the Mount of Olives, he met Hushai the Archite ^[c<="">] at a place of worship. Hushai's robe was torn, and dust was on his head. ^[d<="">] 33David told him: If you come with me, you might slow us down. ^[e<="">] 34Go back into the city and tell Absalom, "Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you now, just as I served your father in the past." Hushai, if you do that, you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans. ³⁵Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you, and you can tell them everything you hear in the palace. ³⁶Then have them send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you've heard.     ³⁷David's advisor Hushai slipped back into Jerusalem, just about the same time that Absalom was coming in. 
    

2 Samuel 16

Ziba Gives Food to David

 ¹David had started down the other side of the Mount of Olives, when he was met by Ziba, the chief servant of Mephibosheth. ^[f<="">] Ziba had two donkeys that were carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred handfuls of raisins, a hundred figs, ^[g<="">] and some wine. ²"What's all this?" David asked.    Ziba said, "The donkeys are for your family to ride. The bread and fruit are for the people to eat, and the wine is for them to drink in the desert when they are tired out." 
    ³"And where is Mephibosheth?" David asked. 
   Ziba answered, "He stayed in Jerusalem, because he thinks the people of Israel want him to rule the kingdom of his grandfather Saul." 
    ⁴David then told him, "Everything that used to belong to Mephibosheth is now yours." 
   Ziba said, "Your Majesty, I am your humble servant, and I hope you will be pleased with me."     

Shimei Curses David

 ⁵David was near the town of Bahurim when a man came out and started cursing him. The man was Shimei the son of Gera, and he was one of Saul's distant relatives. ⁶He threw stones at David, at his soldiers, and at everyone else, including the bodyguards who walked on each side of David.     ⁷Shimei was yelling at David, "Get out of here, you murderer! You good-for-nothing, ⁸the LORD is paying you back for killing so many in Saul's family. You stole his kingdom, but now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. You're a murderer, and that's why you're in such big trouble!" 
    ⁹Abishai said, "Your Majesty, this man is as useless as a dead dog! He shouldn't be allowed to curse you. Let me go over and chop off his head." 
    ¹⁰David replied, "What will I ever do with you and your brother Joab? If Shimei is cursing me because the LORD has told him to, then who are you to tell him to stop?" 
    ¹¹Then David said to Abishai and all his soldiers: 
   My own son is trying to kill me! Why shouldn't this man from the tribe of Benjamin want me dead even more? Let him curse all he wants. Maybe the LORD did tell him to curse me. ¹²But if the LORD hears these curses and sees the trouble I'm in, maybe he will have pity on me instead. 
    ¹³David and the others went on down the road. Shimei went along the hillside by the road, cursing and throwing rocks and dirt at them. ¹⁴When David and those with him came to the Jordan River, they were tired out. But after they rested, they ^[h<="">] felt much better. 

Hushai Meets Absalom

 ¹⁵By this time, Absalom, Ahithophel, and the others had reached Jerusalem. ¹⁶David's friend Hushai came to Absalom and said, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"     ¹⁷But Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this how you show loyalty to your friend David? Why didn't you go with him?" 
    ¹⁸Hushai answered, "The LORD and the people of Israel have chosen you to be king. I can't leave. I have to stay and serve the one they've chosen. ¹⁹Besides, it seems right for me to serve you, just as I served your father."     

Ahithophel's Advice

 ²⁰Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, "Give us your advice! What should we do?"     ²¹Ahithophel answered, "Some of your father's wives ^[i<="">] were left here to take care of the palace. You should have sex with them. Then everyone will find out that you have publicly disgraced your father. This will make you and your followers even more powerful." ²²Absalom had a tent set up on the flat roof of the palace, and everyone watched as he went into the tent with his father's wives. 
    ²³Ahithophel gave such good advice in those days that both Absalom and David thought it came straight from God. 
    

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 15:23 Kidron Valley: This was considered the eastern boundary of Jerusalem.
2. 2 Samuel 15:27 you. . . things: Or "You are a prophet" or "You are not a prophet."
3. 2 Samuel 15:32 Archite: The Archites were part of the tribe of Benjamin (see Joshua 16.2).
4. 2 Samuel 15:32 Hushai's. . . head: See the note at 1.2.
5. 2 Samuel 15:33 you might slow us down: Hushai was probably very old.
6. 2 Samuel 16:1 chief servant of Mephibosheth: See 9.1-13.
7. 2 Samuel 16:1 figs: Or "pomegranates," a bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
8. 2 Samuel 16:14 they: Hebrew "he."
9. 2 Samuel 16:21 wives: See the note at 3.7.

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John 18:25-19:22 (Contemporary English Version)

Peter Again Denies that He Knows Jesus

(Matthew 26.71-75; Mark 14.69-72; Luke 22.58-62)

 ²⁵While Simon Peter was standing there warming himself, someone asked him, "Aren't you one of Jesus' followers?"   Again Peter denied it and said, "No, I am not!" 
    ²⁶One of the high priest's servants was there. He was a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off, and he asked, "Didn't I see you in the garden with that man?" 
    ²⁷Once more Peter denied it, and right then a rooster crowed.     

Jesus Is Tried by Pilate

(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; Luke 23.1-5)

 ²⁸It was early in the morning when Jesus was taken from Caiaphas to the building where the Roman governor stayed. But the crowd waited outside. Any of them who had gone inside would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 29}Pilate came out and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"     ³⁰They answered, "He is a criminal! That's why we brought him to you." 
    ³¹Pilate told them, "Take him and judge him by your own laws." 
   The crowd replied, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death." ³²And so what Jesus said about his death ^[b<="">]would soon come true. ³³Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
    ³⁴Jesus answered, "Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?" 
    ³⁵"You know I'm not a Jew!" Pilate said. "Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?" 
    ³⁶Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world." 
    ³⁷"So you are a king," Pilate replied. 
   "You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him. "I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice." 
    ³⁸Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" 
   Pilate went back out and said, "I don't find this man guilty of anything! 

Jesus Is Sentenced to Death

(Matthew 27.15-31; Mark 15.6-20; Luke 23.13-25)

 ³⁹And since I usually set a prisoner free for you at Passover, would you like for me to set free the king of the Jews?"     ⁴⁰They shouted, "No, not him! We want Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a terrorist. ^[c<="">] 

John 19

 ¹Pilate gave orders for Jesus to be beaten with a whip. ²The soldiers made a crown out of thorn branches and put it on Jesus. Then they put a purple robe on him. ³They came up to him and said, "Hey, you king of the Jews!" They also hit him with their fists.     ⁴Once again Pilate went out. This time he said, "I will have Jesus brought out to you again. Then you can see for yourselves that I have not found him guilty." 
    ⁵Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said, "Here is the man!" ^[d<="">] 6When the chief priests and the temple police saw him, they yelled, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!" 
   Pilate told them, "You take him and nail him to a cross! I don't find him guilty of anything." 
    ⁷The crowd replied, "He claimed to be the Son of God! Our Jewish Law says that he must be put to death." 
    ⁸When Pilate heard this, he was terrified. ⁹He went back inside and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not answer. 
    ¹⁰"Why won't you answer my question?" Pilate asked. "Don't you know that I have the power to let you go free or to nail you to a cross?" 
    ¹¹Jesus replied, "If God had not given you the power, you couldn't do anything at all to me. But the one who handed me over to you did something even worse." 
    ¹²Then Pilate wanted to set Jesus free. But the crowd again yelled, "If you set this man free, you are no friend of the Emperor! Anyone who claims to be a king is an enemy of the Emperor." 
    ¹³When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out. Then he sat down on the judge's bench at the place known as "The Stone Pavement." In Aramaic this pavement is called "Gabbatha." ¹⁴It was about noon on the day before Passover, and Pilate said to the crowd, "Look at your king!" 
    ¹⁵"Kill him! Kill him!" they yelled. "Nail him to a cross!" 
   "So you want me to nail your king to a cross?" Pilate asked. 
   The chief priests replied, "The Emperor is our king!" ¹⁶Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be nailed to a cross. 
   Jesus was taken away, 

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

(Matthew 27.32-44; Mark 15.21-32; Luke 23.26-43)

 ¹⁷and he carried his cross to a place known as "The Skull." ^[e<="">] In Aramaic this place is called "Golgotha." ¹⁸There Jesus was nailed to the cross, and on each side of him a man was also nailed to a cross. ¹⁹Pilate ordered the charge against Jesus to be written on a board and put above the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." ²⁰The words were written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.    The place where Jesus was taken wasn't far from the city, and many of the Jewish people read the charge against him. ²¹So the chief priests went to Pilate and said, "Why did you write that he is King of the Jews? You should have written, `He claimed to be King of the Jews.' " 
    ²²But Pilate told them, "What is written will not be changed!" 
    

Footnotes:

1. John 18:28 would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal: Jewish people who came in close contact with foreigners right before Passover were not allowed to eat the Passover meal.
2. John 18:32 about his death: Jesus had said that he would die by being " lifted up," which meant that he would die on a cross. The Romans killed criminals by nailing them on a cross, but they did not let the Jews kill anyone in this way.
3. John 18:40 terrorist: Someone who stirred up trouble against the Romans in the hope of gaining freedom for the Jewish people.
4. John 19:5 " Here is the man!" : Or " Look at the man!"
5. John 19:17 The Skull: The place was probably given this name because it was near a large rock in the shape of a human skull.

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Psalm 119:113-128 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹³I hate anyone 
   whose loyalty is divided, 
   but I love your Law. 
    ¹¹⁴You are my place of safety 
   and my shield. 
   Your word is my only hope. 
    ¹¹⁵All of you worthless people, 
   get away from me! 
   I am determined to obey 
   the commands of my God. 
    ¹¹⁶Be true to your word, LORD. 
   Keep me alive and strong; 
   don't let me be ashamed 
   because of my hope. 
    ¹¹⁷Keep me safe and secure, 
   so that I will always 
   respect your laws. 
    ¹¹⁸You reject all deceitful liars 
   because they refuse 
   your teachings. 
    ¹¹⁹As far as you are concerned, 
   all evil people are ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} garbage, and so I follow your rules. 
    ¹²⁰I tremble all over 
   when I think of you 
   and the way you judge. 
    ¹²¹I did what was fair and right! 
   Don't hand me over to those 
   who want to mistreat me. 
    ¹²²Take good care of me, 
   your servant, 
   and don't let me be harmed 
   by those conceited people. 
    ¹²³My eyes are weary from waiting 
   to see you keep your promise 
   to come and save me. 
    ¹²⁴Show your love for me, 
   your servant, 
   and teach me your laws. 
    ¹²⁵I serve you, 
   so let me understand 
   your teachings. 
    ¹²⁶Do something, LORD! 
   They have broken your Law. 
    ¹²⁷Your laws mean more to me 
   than the finest gold. 
    ¹²⁸I follow all of your commands, ^[b<="">] but I hate anyone 
   who leads me astray. 
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 119:119 As far as. . . are: A few Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations. Most Hebrew manuscripts have " You get rid of evil people as if they were."
2. Psalm 119:128 I. . . commands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 16:10-11 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁰Rulers speak with authority
   and are never wrong.
    ¹¹The LORD doesn't like it
   when we cheat in business.

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Verse of the Day

“I praise your promises! I trust you and am not afraid. No one can harm me.” - Psalm 56:4 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Russian revolutionary anarchist and founder of collectivist anarchism, Mikhail Bakunin wrote, “Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in this; that he does good not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely conceives it, wants it, and loves it.”

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A Joke for Today

According to the Knight-Ridder News Service, the inscription on the metal bands used by the U.S. Department of the Interior to tag migratory birds has been changed. The bands used to bear the address of the Washington Biological Survey, abbreviated, "Wash. Biol. Surv." until the agency received the following letter from an Arkansas camper: 

"Dear Sirs: While camping last week I shot one of your birds. I think it was a crow. I followed the cooking instructions on the leg tag and I want to tell you it was horrible." 

A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Romans 12:15 - When others a happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.

Bible Readings for May 29, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 14:1–15:22; John 18:1-24; Psalm 119:97-112; and Proverbs 16:8-9. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below. 

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2 Samuel 14-15:22 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 14

 ¹Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom, ^2-3and he sent someone to bring in the wise woman who lived in Tekoa. Joab told her, "Put on funeral clothes and don't use any makeup. Go to the king and pretend you have spent a long time mourning the death of a loved one." Then he told her what to say.     ⁴The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, "Your Majesty, please help me!" 
    ⁵David asked, "What's the matter?" 
   She replied: 
   My husband is dead, and I'm a widow. ⁶I had two sons, but they got into a fight out in a field where there was no one to pull them apart, and one of them killed the other. ⁷Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, "Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother." But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land. 
   Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name. 
    ⁸"Go on home," David told her. "I'll take care of this matter for you." 
    ⁹The woman said, "I hope your decision doesn't cause any problems for you. But if it does, you can blame me." ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 10}He said, "If anyone gives you any trouble, bring them to me, and it won't happen again!" 
    ¹¹"Please," she replied, "swear by the LORD your God that no one will be allowed to kill my son!" 
   He said, "I swear by the living LORD that no one will touch even a hair on his head!" 
    ¹²Then she asked, "Your Majesty, may I say something?" 
   "Yes," he answered. 
    ¹³The woman said: 
   Haven't you been hurting God's people? Your own son had to leave the country. And when you judged in my favor, it was the same as admitting that you should have let him come back. ¹⁴We each must die and disappear like water poured out on the ground. But God doesn't take our lives. ^[b<="">] Instead, he figures out ways of bringing us back when we run away. ¹⁵Your Majesty, I came here to tell you about my problem, because I was afraid of what someone might do to me. I decided to come to you, because I thought you could help. ¹⁶In fact, I knew that you would listen and save my son and me from those who want to take the land that God gave us. ^[c<="">] 17I can rest easy now that you have given your decision. You know the difference between right and wrong just like an angel of God, and I pray that the LORD your God will be with you. 
    ¹⁸Then David said to the woman, "Now I'm going to ask you a question, and don't try to hide the truth!" 
   The woman replied, "Please go ahead, Your Majesty." 
    ¹⁹David asked, "Did Joab put you up to this?" 
   The woman answered, "Your Majesty, I swear by your life that no one can hide the truth from you. Yes, Joab did tell me what to say, ²⁰but only to show you the other side of this problem. You must be as wise as the angel of God to know everything that goes on in this country." 
    ²¹David turned to Joab and said, "It seems that I have already given my decision. Go and bring Absalom back." 
    ²²Joab bowed very low and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for giving your permission. It shows that you approve of me." 
    ²³Joab went to Geshur to get Absalom. But when they came back to Jerusalem, ²⁴David told Joab, "I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me." So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.     

Absalom Was Handsome

 ²⁵No one in all Israel was as handsome and well-built as Absalom. ²⁶He got his hair cut once a year, and when the hair was weighed, it came to about five pounds.   ²⁷Absalom had three sons. He also had a daughter named Tamar, who grew up to be very beautiful.     

Absalom Finally Sees David

 ²⁸Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. ²⁹He wanted Joab to talk to David for him. So one day he sent a message asking Joab to come over, but Joab refused. Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused. ³⁰Finally, Absalom told his servants, "Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!" And they did.     ³¹Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?" 
    ³²Absalom answered, "You didn't pay any attention when I sent for you. I want you to ask my father why he told me to come back from Geshur. I was better off there. I want to see my father now! If I'm guilty, let him kill me." 
    ³³Joab went to David and told him what Absalom had said. David sent for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed very low, and David leaned over and kissed him. 
    

2 Samuel 15

Absalom Rebels against David

 ¹Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had fifty men run in front. ²He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate. ^[d<="">] Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, "Where are you from?" If they said, "I'm from a tribe in the north," ³Absalom would say, "You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours. ⁴I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone."     ⁵Whenever anyone would come to Absalom and start bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. ⁶That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David. 
    ⁷Four years ^[e<="">] later, Absalom said to David, "Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the LORD, ⁸when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the LORD would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron." ^[f<="">] 9David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron. ^10-12He took two hundred men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come. 
   More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, "When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, `Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!' "     

David Has To Leave Jerusalem

 ¹³A messenger came and told David, "Everyone in Israel is on Absalom's side!"     ¹⁴David's officials were in Jerusalem with him, and he told them, "Let's get out of here! We'll have to leave soon, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry! If he moves fast, he could catch us while we're still here. Then he will kill us and everyone else in the city." 
    ¹⁵The officials said, "Your Majesty, we'll do whatever you say." 
    ^16-17David left behind ten of his wives ^[g<="">] to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him. They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city. ¹⁸Then David stood there and watched while his regular troops and his bodyguards ^[h<="">] marched past. The last group was the six hundred soldiers who had followed him from Gath. ^[i<="">] Their commander was Ittai. ¹⁹David spoke to Ittai and said, "You're a foreigner from the town of Gath. You don't have to leave with us. Go back and join the new king! ²⁰You haven't been with me very long, so why should you have to follow me, when I don't even know where I'm going? Take your soldiers and go back. I pray that the Lord will be ^[j<="">] kind and faithful to you." ²¹Ittai answered, "Your Majesty, just as surely as you and the LORD live, I will go where you go, no matter if it costs me my life." 
    ²²"Then come on!" David said. 
   So Ittai and all his men and their families walked on past David. 
    

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 14:9 I hope. . . me: Or "May I speak some more?"
2. 2 Samuel 14:14 take our lives: Or "make any exceptions."
3. 2 Samuel 14:16 take. . . us: Or "make sure we have no part in God's people."
4. 2 Samuel 15:2 the city gate: Or "the entrance to the king's palace."
5. 2 Samuel 15:7 Four years: The Hebrew text has "forty years."
6. 2 Samuel 15:8 in Hebron: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
7. 2 Samuel 15:16 wives: See the note at 3.7.
8. 2 Samuel 15:18 bodyguards: See the note at 8.18.
9. 2 Samuel 15:18 the six. . . Gath: These were Philistine soldiers who were loyal to David.
10. 2 Samuel 15:20 I pray. . . be: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.

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John 18:1-24 (Contemporary English Version)

John 18

Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

(Matthew 26.47-56; Mark 14.43-50; Luke 22.47-53)

 ¹When Jesus had finished praying, he and his disciples crossed the Kidron Valley and went into a garden. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 2}Jesus had often met there with his disciples, and Judas knew where the place was. ^3-5Judas had promised to betray Jesus. So he went to the garden with some Roman soldiers and temple police, who had been sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees. They carried torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus already knew everything that was going to happen, but he asked, "Who are you looking for?"    They answered, "We are looking for Jesus from Nazareth!" 
   Jesus told them, "I am Jesus!" ^[b<="">] 6At once they all backed away and fell to the ground. ⁷Jesus again asked, "Who are you looking for?" 
   "We are looking for Jesus from Nazareth," they answered. 
    ⁸This time Jesus replied, "I have already told you that I am Jesus. If I am the one you are looking for, let these others go. ⁹Then everything will happen, just as I said, `I did not lose anyone you gave me.' " 
    ¹⁰Simon Peter had brought along a sword. He now pulled it out and struck at the servant of the high priest. The servant's name was Malchus, and Peter cut off his right ear. ¹¹Jesus told Peter, "Put your sword away. I must drink from the cup ^[c<="">] that the Father has given me." 

Jesus Is Brought to Annas

(Matthew 26.57,58; Mark 14.53,54; Luke 22.54)

 ¹²The Roman officer and his men, together with the temple police, arrested Jesus and tied him up. ¹³They took him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ¹⁴This was the same Caiaphas who had told the Jewish leaders, "It is better if one person dies for the people."     

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.69,70; Mark 14.66-68; Luke 22.55-57)

 ¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That disciple knew the high priest, and he followed Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest's house. ¹⁶Peter stayed outside near the gate. But the other disciple came back out and spoke to the girl at the gate. She let Peter go in, ¹⁷but asked him, "Aren't you one of that man's followers?"    "No, I am not!" Peter answered. 
    ¹⁸It was cold, and the servants and temple police had made a charcoal fire. They were warming themselves around it, when Peter went over and stood near the fire to warm himself.     

Jesus Is Questioned by the High Priest

(Matthew 26.59-66; Mark 14.55-64; Luke 22.66-71)

 ¹⁹The high priest questioned Jesus about his followers and his teaching. ²⁰But Jesus told him, "I have spoken freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our meeting places and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have not said anything in secret. ²¹Why are you questioning me? Why don't you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said."     ²²As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, "That's no way to talk to the high priest!" 
    ²³Jesus answered, "If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?" ²⁴Jesus was still tied up, and Annas sent him to Caiaphas the high priest. 
    

Footnotes:

1. John 18:1 garden: The Greek word is usually translated " garden," but probably referred to an olive orchard.
2. John 18:3 I am Jesus: The Greek text has " I am" (see the note at 8.24).
3. John 18:11 drink from the cup: In the Scriptures a cup is sometimes used as a symbol of suffering. To " drink from the cup" is to suffer.

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Psalm 119:97-112 (Contemporary English Version)

⁹⁷I deeply love your Law! 
   I think about it all day. 
    ⁹⁸Your laws never leave my mind, 
   and they make me much wiser 
   than my enemies. 
    ⁹⁹Thinking about your teachings 
   gives me better understanding 
   than my teachers, 
    ¹⁰⁰and obeying your laws 
   makes me wiser 
   than those 
   who have lived a long time. 
    ¹⁰¹I obey your word 
   instead of following a way 
   that leads to trouble. 
    ¹⁰²You have been my teacher, 
   and I won't reject 
   your instructions. 
    ¹⁰³Your teachings are sweeter 
   than honey. 
    ¹⁰⁴They give me understanding 
   and make me hate all lies. 
    ¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp 
   that gives light 
   wherever I walk. 
    ¹⁰⁶Your laws are fair, 
   and I have given my word 
   to respect them all. 
    ¹⁰⁷I am in terrible pain! 
   Save me, LORD, 
   as you said you would. 
    ¹⁰⁸Accept my offerings of praise 
   and teach me your laws. 
    ¹⁰⁹I never forget your teachings, 
   although my life is always 
   in danger. 
    ¹¹⁰Some merciless people 
   are trying to trap me, 
   but I never turn my back 
   on your teachings. 
    ¹¹¹They will always be 
   my most prized possession 
   and my source of joy. 
    ¹¹²I have made up my mind 
   to obey your laws forever, 
   no matter what. 

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Proverbs 16:8-9 (Contemporary English Version)

⁸It's better to be honest
   and poor
   than to be dishonest
   and rich.
    ⁹We make our own plans,
   but the LORD decides
   where we will go.

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Verse of the Day

“The LORD is always kind to those who worship him, and he keeps his promises to their descendants who faithfully obey him.” - Psalm 103:17-18 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American attorney, planter, and orator, Patrick Henry wrote, “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”

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A Joke for Today

Punography

I tried to catch some fog. I mist.

When chemists die, they barium.

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.

The girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I never met herbivore.

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down.

I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.

They told me I had type A blood, but it was a Type O.

Class trip to the Coca-Cola factory. I hope there's no pop quiz.

Energizer Bunny arrested: Charged with battery.

I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

What does a clock do when it's hungry? It goes back four seconds.

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!

Broken pencils are pointless.