Bible Readings for June 2, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 19:11–20:13; John 21:1-25; Psalm 120:1-7; and Proverbs 16:16-17. 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 19:11-20:13 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹When David found out what they were saying, he sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. It said:
   Say to the leaders of Judah, "Why are you the last tribe to think about bringing King David back home? ¹²He is your brother, your own relative! Why haven't you done anything to bring him back?"
    ¹³And tell Amasa, "You're my nephew, and with God as a witness, I swear I'll make you commander of my army instead of Joab."
    ¹⁴Soon the tribe of Judah again became followers of David, and they sent him this message: "Come back, and bring your soldiers with you."     

David Starts Back for Jerusalem

 ¹⁵David started back and had gone as far as the Jordan River when he met the people of Judah. They had gathered at Gilgal and had come to help him cross the river.     ¹⁶Shimei ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} the son of Gera was there with them. He had hurried from Bahurim to meet David. Shimei was from the tribe of Benjamin, and ¹⁷a thousand others from Benjamin had come with him. Ziba, the chief servant of Saul's family, also came to the Jordan River. He and his fifteen sons and twenty servants waded across ^[b<="">] to meet David. ¹⁸Then they brought David's family and servants back across the river, and they did everything he wanted them to do. Shimei crossed the Jordan River and bowed down in front of David. 

Shimei Meets with David

 ¹⁹He said, "Your Majesty, I beg you not to punish me! Please, forget what I did when you were leaving Jerusalem. Don't even think about it. ²⁰I know I was wrong. That's why I wanted to be the first one from the northern tribes to meet you."    ²¹But Abishai shouted, "You should be killed for cursing the LORD's chosen king!"
    ²²David said, "Abishai, what will I ever do with you and your brother Joab? Is it your job to tell me who has done wrong? I've been made king of all Israel today, and no one will be put to death!" ²³Then David promised Shimei that he would not be killed.
    

Mephibosheth Meets with David

 ²⁴Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, also came to meet David. He had missed David so much that he had not taken a bath or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes the whole time David was gone.     ²⁵After they had gone back to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth came to see David, who asked him, "Why didn't you go with me?"
    ²⁶He answered, "Your Majesty, you know I can't walk. I told my servant to saddle a donkey for me ^[c<="">] so I could go with you. But my servant left without me, and ²⁷then he lied about me. You're as wise as an angel of God, so do what you think is right. ²⁸After all, you could have killed my whole family and me. But instead, you let me eat at your own table. Your Majesty, what more could I ask?" ²⁹David answered, "You've said enough! I've decided to divide the property ^[d<="">] between you and Ziba." ³⁰Mephibosheth replied, "He can have it all! I'm just glad you've come home safely."   

Barzillai Returns Home

 ³¹Barzillai came from Rogelim in Gilead to meet David at the Jordan River and go across with him. ³²Barzillai was eighty years old. He was very rich and had sent food to David in Mahanaim.     ³³David said to him, "Cross the river and go to Jerusalem with me. I will take care of you."
    ³⁴Barzillai answered:
   Your Majesty, why should I go to Jerusalem? I don't have much longer to live. ³⁵I'm already eighty years old, and my body is almost numb. I can't taste my food or hear the sound of singing, and I would be nothing but a burden. ³⁶I'll cross the river with you, but I'll only go a little way on the other side. You don't have to be so kind to me. ³⁷Just let me return to my hometown, where I can someday be buried near my father and mother. My servant Chimham ^[e<="">] can go with you, and you can treat him as your own. ³⁸David said, "I'll take Chimham with me, and whatever you ask me to do for him, I'll do. And if there's anything else you want, I'll also do that."
    ³⁹David's soldiers went on across the river, while he stayed behind to tell Barzillai good-by and to wish him well. Barzillai returned home, but ⁴⁰Chimham crossed the river with David.
   All of Judah's army and half of Israel's army were there to help David cross the river. 

Israel and Judah Argue

 ⁴¹The soldiers from Israel came to him and said, "Why did our relatives from Judah sneak you and your family and your soldiers across the Jordan?"     ⁴²The people of Judah answered, "Why are you so angry? We are the king's relatives. He didn't give us any food, and we didn't take anything for ourselves!"
    ⁴³Those from Israel said, "King David belongs to us ten times more than he belongs to you. ^[f<="">] Why didn't you think we were good enough to help you? After all, we were the first ones to think of bringing him back!" The people of Judah spoke more harshly than the people of Israel.
    

2 Samuel 20

Sheba Rebels against David

 ¹A troublemaker from the tribe of Benjamin was there. His name was Sheba the son of Bichri, and he blew a trumpet to get everyone's attention. Then he said, "People of Israel, David the son of Jesse doesn't belong to us! Let's go home."    ²So they stopped following David and went off with Sheba. But the people of Judah stayed close to David all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.     

David's Ten Wives

 ³David had left ten of his wives in Jerusalem to take care of his palace. But when he came back, he had them taken to another house, and he placed soldiers there to guard them. He gave them whatever they needed, but he never slept with any of them again. ^[g<="">] They had to live there for the rest of their lives as if they were widows.

The Army Goes after Sheba

 ⁴David said to Amasa, "Three days from now I want you and all of Judah's army to be here!"     ⁵Amasa started bringing the army together, but it was taking him more than three days. ⁶So David said to Abishai, "Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom ever did. Take my best soldiers and go after him. We don't want him to take over any walled cities and get away from us." ^[h<="">] 

Joab Kills Amasa

 ⁷Abishai left Jerusalem to try and capture Sheba. He took along Joab and his soldiers, as well as David's bodyguard ^[i<="">] and best troops. ⁸They had gone as far as the big rock at Gibeon when Amasa caught up with them. Joab had a dagger strapped around his waist over his military uniform, but it fell out as he started toward Amasa. ⁹Joab said, "Amasa, my cousin, how are you?" Then Joab took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand, so that he could greet him with a kiss. ¹⁰Amasa did not see the dagger in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck it in Amasa's stomach, and his insides spilled out on the ground. Joab only struck him once, but Amasa was dying.    Joab and his brother Abishai went off to chase Sheba. ¹¹One of Joab's soldiers stood by Amasa and shouted, "If any of you like Joab, and if you are for David, then follow Joab!"
    ¹²Amasa was still rolling in his own blood in the middle of the road. The soldier who had shouted noticed that everyone who passed by would stop, so he dragged Amasa off the road and covered him with a blanket. ¹³After this, no one else stopped. They all walked straight past him on their way to help Joab capture Sheba.
    

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 19:16 Shimei: See 16.5-13.
2. 2 Samuel 19:17 waded across: Or "rushed."
3. 2 Samuel 19:26 I told. . . me: Two ancient translations; Hebrew, "I said, `I will saddle a donkey for myself.' "
4. 2 Samuel 19:29 the property: The property that had belonged to Saul (see 9.7; 16.4).
5. 2 Samuel 19:37 My servant Chimham: Or "My son Chimham."
6. 2 Samuel 19:43 King David. . . you: In this verse "Israel" stands for the ten northern tribes and does not include the tribe of Judah in the south.
7. 2 Samuel 20:3 he. . . again: Because of what Absalom had done (see 16.21,22).
8. 2 Samuel 20:6 get. . . us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. 2 Samuel 20:7 bodyguard: See the note at 8.18.

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John 21:1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

John 21

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

 ¹Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. ²Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} were there, together with two other disciples. ³Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing!" The others said, "We will go with you." They went out in their boat. But they didn't catch a thing that night.     ⁴Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. ⁵Jesus shouted, "Friends, have you caught anything?"
   "No!" they answered.
    ⁶So he told them, "Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish."
   They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.
    ⁷Jesus' favorite disciple told Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. ⁸The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish.
    ⁹When the disciples got out of the boat, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. ¹⁰Jesus told his disciples, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." ¹¹Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip.
    ¹²Jesus said, "Come and eat!" But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. ¹³Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave some of it to his disciples. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from death.    

Jesus and Peter

 ¹⁵When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?" ^[b<="">] Simon Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know I do!"    "Then feed my lambs," Jesus said.
    ¹⁶Jesus asked a second time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
   Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you!"
   "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus told him.
    ¹⁷Jesus asked a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
   Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you."
   Jesus replied, "Feed my sheep. ¹⁸I tell you for certain that when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands. Then others will wrap your belt around you and lead you where you don't want to go."
    ¹⁹Jesus said this to tell how Peter would die and bring honor to God. Then he said to Peter, "Follow me!"     

Jesus and His Favorite Disciple

 ²⁰Peter turned and saw Jesus' favorite disciple following them. He was the same one who had sat next to Jesus at the meal and had asked, "Lord, who is going to betray you?" ²¹When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"     ²²Jesus answered, "What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me." ²³So the rumor spread among the other disciples that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He simply said, "What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return?"
    ²⁴This disciple is the one who told all of this. He wrote it, and we know he is telling the truth.
    ²⁵Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books, I don't suppose there would be room enough in the whole world for all the books.
    

Footnotes:

1. John 21:2 the brothers James and John: Greek " the two sons of Zebedee."
2. John 21:15 more than the others do: Or " more than you love these things?"

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Psalm 120:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 120

(A song for worship.)

A Prayer for the LORD's Help

 ¹When I am in trouble, I pray,     ²"Come and save me, LORD,
   from deceitful liars!"
    ³What punishment is fitting
   for you deceitful liars?
    ⁴Your reward should be
   sharp and flaming arrows!
    ⁵But I must live as a foreigner
   among the people of Meshech
   and in the tents of Kedar. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 6}I have spent too much time
   living among people
   who hate peace.
    ⁷I am in favor of peace,
   but when I speak of it,
   all they want is war.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 120:5 Meshech. . . Kedar: Meshech was a country near the Black Sea, and Kedar was a tribe of the Syrian desert.

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Proverbs 16:16-17 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁶It's much better to be wise
   and sensible
   than to be rich.
    ¹⁷God's people avoid evil ways,
   and they protect themselves
   by watching where they go.

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Verse of the Day

“So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him.” - Hebrews 9:28 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

British-American actor, model, and screenwriter, Wentworth Miller wrote, “I think there's something about evil that is thoughtless and relentless and incredibly frightening because it can't be reckoned with, reasoned with or stopped.”

 

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A Joke for the Day

 

In California Unleaded gas went to $4.00 a gallon last Thursday.

 

Sister Mary Ann, who worked for a home health agency, was out making her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of gas. Fortunately, an Exxon station was just a block away. She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas.

 

The attendant told her that the only gas can he owned had been loaned out, but she could wait until it was returned. Since Sister Mary Ann was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait, and walked back to her car.

 

She looked for something in her car that she could fill with gas, and spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, Sister Mary Ann carried the bedpan to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried the full bedpan back to her car. 

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two Baptist ladies watched from across the street. One of them turned to the other and said, 'If it starts, I'm turning Catholic.' 

Bible Readings for June 1, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 18:1–19:10; John 20:1-31; Psalm 119:153-176; and Proverbs 16:14-15. 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 18-19:10 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 18

David Gets Ready for Battle

 ¹David divided his soldiers into groups of a hundred and groups of a thousand. Then he chose officers to be in command of each group. ²He sent out one-third of his army under the command of Joab, another third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, and the rest under the command of Ittai from Gath. He told the soldiers, "I'm going into battle with you."     ³But the soldiers said, "No, don't go into battle with us! It won't matter to our enemies if they make us all run away, or even if they kill half of us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better for you to stay in town and send help if we need it." 
    ^4-6David said, "All right, if you think I should." 
   Then in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he said, "Joab! Abishai! Ittai! For my sake, be sure that Absalom comes back unharmed." 
   David stood beside the town gate as his army marched past in groups of a hundred and in groups of a thousand. 
   The war with Israel took place in Ephraim Forest. 

Joab Kills Absalom

 ^7-8Battles were being fought all over the forest, and David's soldiers were winning. Twenty thousand soldiers were killed ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} that day, and more of them died from the dangers of the forest than from the fighting itself. ⁹Absalom was riding his mule under a huge tree when his head ^[b<="">] caught in the branches. The mule ran off and left Absalom hanging in midair. Some of David's soldiers happened by, ¹⁰and one of them went and told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in a tree!" ¹¹Joab said, "You saw Absalom? Why didn't you kill him? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a special belt."     ¹²The man answered, "Even if you paid me a thousand pieces of silver here and now, I still wouldn't touch the king's son. We all heard King David tell you and Abishai and Ittai not to harm Absalom. ¹³He always finds out what's going on. I would have been risking my life to kill Absalom, because you would have let me take the blame." 
    ¹⁴Joab said, "I'm not going to waste any more time on you!" 
   Absalom was still alive, so Joab took three spears and stuck them through Absalom's chest. ¹⁵Ten of Joab's bodyguards came over and finished him off. ¹⁶Then Joab blew a trumpet to signal his troops to stop chasing Israel's soldiers. ¹⁷They threw Absalom's body into a deep pit in the forest and put a big pile of rocks over it. 
   Meanwhile, the people of Israel had all run back to their own homes. 
    ¹⁸When Absalom was alive, he had set up a stone monument for himself in King's Valley. He explained, "I don't have any sons ^[c<="">] to keep my name alive." He called it Absalom's Monument, and that is the name it still has today. ^[d<="">] 

Ahimaaz Wants To Tell David

 ¹⁹Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Joab, let me run and tell King David that the LORD has rescued him from his enemies."     ²⁰Joab answered, "You're not the one to tell the king that his son is dead. You can take him a message some other time, but not today." 
    ²¹Someone from Ethiopia ^[e<="">] was standing there, and Joab told him, "Go and tell the king what you have seen." The man knelt down in front of Joab and then got up and started running. ²²Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again, "No matter what happens, I still want to run. And besides, the Ethiopian has already left." 
   Joab said, "Why should you run? You won't get a reward for the news you have!" 
    ²³"I'll run no matter what!" Ahimaaz insisted. 
   "All right then, run!" Joab said. 
   Ahimaaz took the road through the Jordan Valley and outran the Ethiopian. 
    ²⁴Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates ^[f<="">] in the city wall. One of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower. He saw a man running toward the town ²⁵and shouted down to tell David. David answered, "If he's alone, he must have some news." 
   The runner was getting closer, ²⁶when the soldier saw someone else running. He shouted down to the gate, "Look! There's another runner!" 
   David said, "He must have some news too." 
    ²⁷The soldier on the roof shouted, "The first one runs just like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." 
   This time David said, "He's a good man. He must have some good news." 
    ²⁸Ahimaaz called out, "We won! We won!" Then he bowed low to David and said, "Your Majesty, praise the LORD your God! He has given you victory over your enemies." 
    ²⁹"Is my son Absalom all right?" David asked. 
   Ahimaaz said, "When Joab sent your personal servant and me, I saw a noisy crowd. But I don't know what it was all about." 
    ³⁰David told him, "Stand over there and wait." 
   Ahimaaz went over and stood there. ³¹The Ethiopian came and said, "Your Majesty, today I have good news! The LORD has rescued you from all your enemies!" 
    ³²"Is my son Absalom all right?" David asked. 
   The Ethiopian replied, "I wish that all Your Majesty's enemies and everyone who tries to harm you would end up like him!"     

David Cries for Absalom

 ³³David started trembling. Then he went up to the room above the city gate to cry. As he went, he kept saying, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I could have died instead of you! Absalom, my son, my son!" ^[g<="">] 

2 Samuel 19

 ¹Someone told Joab, "The king is crying because Absalom is dead."     ²David's army found out he was crying because his son had died, and their day of victory suddenly turned into a day of sadness. ³The troops were sneaking into Mahanaim, just as if they had run away from a battle and were ashamed. 
    ⁴David held his hands over his face and kept on crying loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!" 
    ⁵Joab went to the house where David was staying and told him: 
   You've made your soldiers ashamed! Not only did they save your life, they saved your sons and daughters and wives as well. ⁶You're more loyal to your enemies than to your friends. What you've done today has shown your officers and soldiers that they don't mean a thing to you. You would be happy if Absalom was still alive, even if the rest of us were dead. 
    ⁷Now get up! Go out there and thank them for what they did. If you don't, I swear by the LORD that you won't even have one man left on your side tomorrow morning. You may have had a lot of troubles in the past, but this will be the worst thing that has ever happened to you! 
    ⁸David got up and went to the town gate and sat down. When the people heard that he was sitting there, they came to see him. 
   After Israel's soldiers had all returned home, 

Israel and Judah Want David Back

 ^9-10everyone in Israel started arguing. They were saying to each other, "King David rescued us from the Philistines and from our other enemies. But then we chose Absalom to be our new leader, and David had to leave the country to get away. Absalom died in battle, so why hasn't something been done to bring David back?"   

  

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 18:7 Twenty. . . killed: This may refer to the total number or to the number of Absalom's soldiers who were killed.
2. 2 Samuel 18:9 head: Or "hair."
3. 2 Samuel 18:18 I don't have any sons: According to 14.27, Absalom had three sons. But they could have died young or been put to death for Absalom's murder of Amnon.
4. 2 Samuel 18:18 today: That is, at the time of writing. This monument is not the same as the structure now known as "Absalom's Tomb," which was built at least 600 years later.
5. 2 Samuel 18:21 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
6. 2 Samuel 18:24 between. . . gates: The city gate was often like a tower in the city wall, with one gate on the outside of the wall and another gate on the inside of the wall.
7. 2 Samuel 18:33 son: In Hebrew, this verse is 19.1.

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John 20:1-31 (Contemporary English Version)

John 20

Jesus Is Alive

(Matthew 28.1-10; Mark 16.1-8; Luke 24.1-12)

 ¹On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ²She ran to Simon Peter and to Jesus' favorite disciple and said, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb! We don't know where they have put him."     ³Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴They ran side by side, until the other disciple ran faster than Peter and got there first. ⁵He bent over and saw the strips of linen cloth lying inside the tomb, but he did not go in. 
    ⁶When Simon Peter got there, he went into the tomb and saw the strips of cloth. ⁷He also saw the piece of cloth that had been used to cover Jesus' face. It was rolled up and in a place by itself. ⁸The disciple who got there first then went into the tomb, and when he saw it, he believed. ⁹At that time Peter and the other disciple did not know that the Scriptures said Jesus would rise to life. ¹⁰So the two of them went back to the other disciples.     

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

(Mark 16.9-11)

 ¹¹Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down ¹²and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. ¹³The angels asked Mary, "Why are you crying?"    She answered, "They have taken away my Lord's body! I don't know where they have put him." 
    ¹⁴As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was.¹⁵Jesus asked her, "Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" 
   She thought he was the gardener and said, "Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him." 
    ¹⁶Then Jesus said to her, "Mary!" 
   She turned and said to him, "Rabboni." The Aramaic word "Rabboni" means "Teacher." 
    ¹⁷Jesus told her, "Don't hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God." ¹⁸Mary Magdalene then went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. She also told them what he had said to her.     

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

(Matthew 28.16-20; Mark 16.14-18; Luke 24.36-49)

 ¹⁹The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them ²⁰and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy.     ²¹After Jesus had greeted them again, he said, "I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me." ²²Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive anyone's sins, they will be forgiven. But if you don't forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven."     

Jesus and Thomas

 ²⁴Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn't with the others when Jesus appeared to them. ²⁵So they told him, "We have seen the Lord!"    But Thomas said, "First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won't believe unless I do this!" 
    ²⁶A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples ²⁷and said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!" 
    ²⁸Thomas replied, "You are my Lord and my God!" 
    ²⁹Jesus said, "Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!"     

Why John Wrote His Book

 ³⁰Jesus worked many other miracles ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in^[b<="">] him, you will have true life. 

Footnotes:

1. John 20:30 miracles: See the note at 2.11.
2. John 20:31 put your faith in. . . have faith in: Some manuscripts have " keep on having faith in. . . keep on having faith in."

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Psalm 119:153-176 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁵³I have not forgotten your Law! 
   Look at the trouble I am in, 
   and rescue me. 
    ¹⁵⁴Be my defender and protector! 
   Keep your promise 
   and save my life. 
    ¹⁵⁵Evil people won't obey you, 
   and so they have no hope 
   of being saved. 
    ¹⁵⁶You are merciful, LORD! 
   Please do the right thing 
   and save my life. 
    ¹⁵⁷I have a lot of brutal enemies, 
   but still I never turn 
   from your laws. 
    ¹⁵⁸All of those unfaithful people 
   who refuse to obey you 
   are disgusting to me. 
    ¹⁵⁹Remember how I love your laws, 
   and show your love for me 
   by keeping me safe. 
    ¹⁶⁰All you say can be trusted; 
   your teachings are true 
   and will last forever. 
    ¹⁶¹Rulers are cruel to me 
   for no reason. 
   But with all my heart 
   I respect your words, 
    ¹⁶²because they bring happiness 
   like treasures taken in war. 
    ¹⁶³I can't stand liars, 
   but I love your Law. 
    ¹⁶⁴I praise you seven times a day 
   because your laws are fair. 
    ¹⁶⁵You give peace of mind 
   to all who love your Law. 
   Nothing can make them fall. 
    ¹⁶⁶You are my only hope 
   for being saved, LORD, 
   and I do all you command. 
    ¹⁶⁷I love and obey your laws 
   with all my heart. 
    ¹⁶⁸You know everything I do. 
   You know I respect every law 
   you have given. 
    ¹⁶⁹Please, LORD, hear my prayer 
   and give me the understanding 
   that comes from your word. 
    ¹⁷⁰Listen to my concerns 
   and keep me safe, 
   just as you have promised. 
    ¹⁷¹If you will teach me your laws, 
   I will praise you ¹⁷²and sing 
   about your promise, 
   because all of your teachings 
   are what they ought to be. 
    ¹⁷³Be ready to protect me 
   because I have chosen 
   to obey your laws. 
    ¹⁷⁴I am waiting for you 
   to save me, LORD. 
   Your Law makes me happy. 
    ¹⁷⁵Keep me alive, 
   so I can praise you, 
   and let me find help 
   in your teachings. 
    ¹⁷⁶I am your servant, 
   but I have wandered away 
   like a lost sheep. 
   Please come after me, 
   because I have not forgotten 
   your teachings. 

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Proverbs 16:14-15 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁴An angry ruler 
   can put you to death. 
   So be wise! 
   Don't make one angry. 
    ¹⁵When a ruler is happy 
   and pleased with you, 
   it's like refreshing rain, 
   and you will live. 

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Verse of the Day

“Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.” -Revelation 21: 2-4 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American character actor on radio, stage and film, Frank Morgan wrote, “A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.”

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A Joke for Today

A prisoner in jail receives a letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, I have decided to plant some lettuce in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?" 

The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: "Dear Wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money." 

A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, You wouldn't believe what happened, some men came with shovels to the house, and dug up all the back garden." 

The prisoner wrote another letter back: "Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the lettuce." 

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.