Bible Readings for May 28, 2013

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96; and Proverbs 16:6-7. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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2 Samuel 13:1-39 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 13

Amnon Disgraces Tamar

 ¹David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. She was also the half sister of Amnon, ^[a] who fell in love with her. ²But Tamar was a virgin, and Amnon could not think of a way to be alone with her. He was so upset about it that he made himself sick. ³Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted, ⁴and he said to Amnon, "What's the matter? You're the king's son! You shouldn't have to go around feeling sorry for yourself every morning."    Amnon said, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."
    ⁵Jonadab told him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar, so you can watch her cook something for you. Then she can serve you the food."
    ⁶So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, "Please, ask Tamar to come over. She can make some special bread ^[b] while I watch, and then she can serve me the bread." ⁷David told Tamar, "Go over to Amnon's house and fix him some food." ⁸When she got there, he was lying in bed. She mixed the dough, made the loaves, and baked them while he watched. ⁹Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it.
   Amnon said, "Send the servants out of the house." After they had gone, ¹⁰he said to Tamar, "Serve the food in my bedroom."
   Tamar picked up the bread that she had made and brought it into Amnon's bedroom. ¹¹But as she was taking it over to him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me!"
    ¹²She answered, "No! Please don't force me! This sort of thing isn't done in Israel. It's too disgusting! ¹³Think of me. I'll be disgraced forever! And think of yourself. Everyone in Israel will say you're nothing but trash! Just ask the king, and he will let you marry me."
    ¹⁴But Amnon would not listen to what she said. He was stronger than she was, so he overpowered her and raped her. ¹⁵Then Amnon hated her even more than he had loved her before. So he told her, "Get up and get out!"
    ¹⁶She said, "Don't send me away! That would be worse than what you have already done."
   But Amnon would not listen. ¹⁷He called in his servant and said, "Throw this woman out and lock the door!"
    ¹⁸The servant made her leave, and he locked the door behind her.
   The king's unmarried daughters used to wear long robes with sleeves. ^{[c] 19}Tamar tore the robe she was wearing and put ashes on her head. Then she covered her face with her hands and cried loudly as she walked away.

Absalom Kills Amnon

 ²⁰Tamar's brother Absalom said to her, "How could Amnon have done such a terrible thing to you! But since he's your brother, don't tell anyone what happened. Just try not to think about it."    Tamar soon moved into Absalom's house, but she was always sad and lonely. ²¹When David heard what had happened to Tamar, he was very angry. But Amnon was his oldest son and also his favorite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy. ^{[d] 22}Absalom treated Amnon as though nothing had happened, but he hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister Tamar.
    ²³Two years later, Absalom's servants were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor near the town of Ephraim, and Absalom invited all of the king's sons to be there. ^{[e] 24}Then he went to David and said, "My servants are cutting the wool from my sheep. Please come and join us!" ²⁵David answered, "No, my son, we won't go. It would be too expensive for you." Absalom tried to get him to change his mind, but David did not want to go. He only said that he hoped they would have a good time.
    ²⁶Absalom said, "If you won't go, at least let my brother Amnon come with us."
   David asked, "Why should he go with you?" ²⁷But Absalom kept on insisting, and finally David let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom.
   Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. ^{[f] 28}But he told his servants, "Keep an eye on Amnon. When he gets a little drunk from the wine and is feeling good, I'll give the signal. Then kill him! I've commanded you to do it, so don't be afraid. Be strong and brave." ²⁹Absalom's servants killed Amnon, just as Absalom had told them. The rest of the king's sons quickly rode away on their mules to escape from Absalom.
    ³⁰While they were on their way to Jerusalem, someone told David, "Absalom has killed all of your sons! Not even one is left." ³¹David got up, and in his sorrow he tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. His servants remained standing, but they tore their clothes too.
    ³²Then David's nephew ^[g] Jonadab said, "Your Majesty, not all of your sons were killed! Only Amnon is dead. On the day that Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom decided to kill him. ³³Don't worry about the report that all your sons were killed. Only Amnon is dead, ³⁴and Absalom has run away." One of the guards noticed a lot of people coming along the hillside on the road to Horonaim. ^[h] He went and told the king, "I saw some men coming along Horonaim Road." ^{[i] 35}Jonadab said, "Your Majesty, look! Here come your sons now, just as I told you."
    ³⁶No sooner had he said it, than David's sons came in. They were weeping out loud, and David and all his officials cried just as loudly. ^37-38David was sad for a long time because Amnon was dead.
   Absalom had run away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years with King Talmai ^[j] the son of Ammihud.

David Lets Absalom Come Home

 ³⁹David still felt so sad over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom. ^[k]

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 13:1 Tamar. . . Absalom. . . Amnon: David was their father, but Amnon had a different mother.
2. 2 Samuel 13:6 special bread: Or "heart-shaped bread" or "dumplings."
3. 2 Samuel 13:18 long. . . sleeves: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. 2 Samuel 13:21 But Amnon. . . unhappy: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; these words are not in the Standard Hebrew Text.
5. 2 Samuel 13:23 invited. . . there: Cutting the wool from sheep was a time for celebrating as well as working.
6. 2 Samuel 13:27 Absalom prepared. . . king: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
7. 2 Samuel 13:32 David's nephew: The Hebrew text has "the son of David's brother Shimeah."
8. 2 Samuel 13:34 the road to Horonaim: Or "the road behind him" or "the road to the west."
9. 2 Samuel 13:34 He. . . Road: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
10. 2 Samuel 13:37 King Talmai: Absalom's grandfather (see 3.3).
11. 2 Samuel 13:39 David. . . Absalom: Or "David was comforted over the loss of Amnon, and he no longer wanted to take his army there to capture Absalom."

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John 17:1-26 (Contemporary English Version)

John 17

Jesus Prays

 ¹After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed:    Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. ²And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. ³Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. ⁴I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. ⁵Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created.
    ⁶You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. ⁷They know that you gave me everything I have. ⁸I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know that I came from you, and they believe that you are the one who sent me. ⁹I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. ^[a] My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. ¹⁰All that I have is yours, and all that you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me. ¹¹Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. ¹²While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.
    ¹³I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. ¹⁴I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don't belong to this world, just as I don't.
    ¹⁵Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶They don't belong to this world, and neither do I. ¹⁷Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. ¹⁸I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. ¹⁹I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.
    ²⁰I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. ²¹I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.
    ²²I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. ²³I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world's people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me.
    ²⁴Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the world was created. ²⁵Good Father, the people of this world don't know you. But I know you, and my followers know that you sent me. ²⁶I told them what you are like, and I will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of them, and I will be one with them.
   

Footnotes:

1. John 17:9 world: See the note at 12.31.

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Psalm 119:81-96 (Contemporary English Version)

⁸¹I long for you to rescue me!
   Your word is my only hope.
    ⁸²I am worn out from waiting
   for you to keep your word.
   When will you have mercy?
    ⁸³My life is wasting away
   like a dried-up wineskin, ^[a] but I have not forgotten
   your teachings.
    ⁸⁴I am your servant!
   How long must I suffer?
   When will you punish
   those troublemakers?
    ⁸⁵Those proud people reject
   your teachings,
   and they dig pits
   for me to fall in.
    ⁸⁶Your laws can be trusted!
   Protect me from cruel liars.
    ⁸⁷They have almost killed me,
   but I have been faithful
   to your teachings.
    ⁸⁸Show that you love me
   and let me live,
   so that I may obey all
   of your commands.
    ⁸⁹Our LORD, you are eternal!
   Your word will last as long
   as the heavens. ^{[b] 90}You remain faithful
   in every generation,
   and the earth you created
   will keep standing firm.
    ⁹¹All things are your servants,
   and the laws you made
   are still in effect today.
    ⁹²If I had not found happiness
   in obeying your Law,
   I would have died in misery.
    ⁹³I won't ever forget
   your teachings,
   because you give me new life
   by following them.
    ⁹⁴I belong to you,
   and I have respected your laws,
   so keep me safe.
    ⁹⁵Brutal enemies are waiting
   to ambush and destroy me,
   but I obey your rules.
    ⁹⁶Nothing is completely perfect,
   except your teachings.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 119:83 a dried-up wineskin: The Hebrew text has " a wineskin in the smoke." In ancient times bags were made from animal skins to hold wine, but when the bags dried up they cracked and could no longer be used.
2. Psalm 119:89 Our. . . heavens: Or " Our LORD, your word is eternal. It will last as long as the heavens."

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Proverbs 16:6-7 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶If we truly love God,
   our sins will be forgiven;
   if we show him respect,
   we will keep away from sin.
    ⁷When we please the LORD,
   even our enemies
   make friends with us.

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Verse of the Day

“When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.” - Romans 12:15

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English-born Australian writer who is widely regarded as one of the most important English-language novelists of the 20th century Patrick White wrote, “I feel that in my own life anything I have done of possible worth has happened in spite of my gross, worldly self. I have been no more than the vessel used to convey ideas above my intellectual capacities. When people praise passages I have written, more often than not I can genuinely say, ‘Did I write that?’ I don’t think this is due to my having a bad memory, because I have almost total recall of trivialities. I see it as evidence of the part the supernatural plays in lives which would otherwise remain earthbound.”

Bible Readings for May 27, 2013

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 12:1–31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; and Proverbs 16:4-5. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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2 Samuel 12:1-31 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 12

The LORD's Message for David

 ¹and he sent Nathan the prophet to tell this story to David:    A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. ²The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, ³but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children.
    ⁴One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle and serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead.
    ⁵David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶And because he didn't have any pity on the poor man, he will have to pay four times what the lamb was worth."
    ⁷Then Nathan told David:
   You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: "I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul ⁸and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. ⁹Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife.
    ¹⁰"Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself, your family will never live in peace. ¹¹Someone from your own family will cause you a lot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. ¹²What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see."
    ^13-14David said, "I have disobeyed the LORD."
   "Yes, you have!" Nathan answered. "You showed you didn't care what the LORD wanted. ^[a] He has forgiven you, and you won't die. But your newborn son will." ¹⁵Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.
   

David's Young Son Dies

 ¹⁶So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor. ¹⁷His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them.     ¹⁸After the child had been sick for seven days, he died, but the officials were afraid to tell David. They said to each other, "Even when the boy was alive, David wouldn't listen to us. How can we tell him his son is dead? He might do something terrible!"
    ¹⁹David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants.
   "Yes, he did," they answered.
    ²⁰David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the LORD's tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.
    ²¹His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."
    ²²David answered:
   While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live." ²³But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.
   

Solomon Is Born

 ²⁴David comforted his wife Bathsheba and slept with her. Later on, she gave birth to another son and named him Solomon. The LORD loved Solomon ²⁵and sent Nathan the prophet to tell David, "The LORD will call him Jedidiah." ^[b]

The End of the War with Ammon

(1 Chronicles 20.1b-3)

 ²⁶Meanwhile, Joab had been in the country of Ammon, attacking the city of Rabbah. He captured the royal fortress ²⁷and sent a messenger to tell David:    I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply. ²⁸Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don't, everyone will remember that I captured the city.
    ²⁹David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city ³⁰and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. ^[c] The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. ^[d] He also carried off everything else of value. ³¹David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls ^[e] with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.
   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 12:13 what. . . wanted: One manuscript of one ancient translation; one Hebrew manuscript "what the LORD had said"; most Hebrew manuscripts "what the enemies of the LORD would think."
2. 2 Samuel 12:25 Jedidiah: In Hebrew this name means "Loved by the LORD."
3. 2 Samuel 12:30 the statue of their god Milcom: Or "their king."
4. 2 Samuel 12:30 David. . . crown: Or "and David wore the crown."
5. 2 Samuel 12:31 tear. . . walls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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John 16:1-33 (Contemporary English Version)

John 16

 ¹I am telling you this to keep you from being afraid. ²You will be chased out of the Jewish meeting places. And the time will come when people will kill you and think they are doing God a favor. ³They will do these things because they don't know either the Father or me. ⁴I am saying this to you now, so that when the time comes, you will remember what I have said.    I was with you at the first, and so I didn't tell you these things.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

 ⁵But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. ⁶You are very sad from hearing all of this. ⁷But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.     ⁸The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. ⁹The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. ¹⁰They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. ¹¹And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.
    ¹²I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. ¹³The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. ¹⁴The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. ¹⁵Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
   

Sorrow Will Turn into Joy

 ¹⁶Jesus told his disciples, "For a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. "     ¹⁷They said to each other, "What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying that he is going to the Father? ¹⁸What is this `little while' that he is talking about? We don't know what he means."
    ¹⁹Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said:
   You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. ²⁰I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
    ²¹When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world. ²²You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. ²³When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain that the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ²⁴You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name. ^[a] Then it will be given to you, so that you will be completely happy. ²⁵I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these. ²⁶You will ask the Father in my name, ^[b] and I won't have to ask him for you. ²⁷God the Father loves you because you love me, and you believe that I have come from him. ²⁸I came from the Father into the world, but I am leaving the world and returning to the Father. ²⁹The disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly to us! You are not using examples. ³⁰At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe that you truly have come from God."
    ³¹Jesus replied:
   Do you really believe me? ³²The time will come and is already here when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go back home and leave me by myself. But the Father will be with me, and I won't be alone. ³³I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world. ^[c]

Footnotes:

1. John 16:24 in my name. . . in my name: Or " as my disciples. . . as my disciples."
2. John 16:26 in my name: Or " because you are my followers."
3. John 16:33 world: See the note at 12.31.

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Psalm 119:65-80 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶⁵I am your servant, LORD,
   and you have kept your promise
   to treat me with kindness.
    ⁶⁶Give me wisdom and good sense.
   I trust your commands.
    ⁶⁷Once you corrected me
   for not obeying you,
   but now I obey.
    ⁶⁸You are kindhearted,
   and you do good things,
   so teach me your laws.
    ⁶⁹My reputation is being ruined
   by conceited liars,
   but with all my heart
   I follow your teachings.
    ⁷⁰Those liars have no sense,
   but I find happiness
   in your Law.
    ⁷¹When you corrected me,
   it did me good
   because it taught me
   to study your laws.
    ⁷²I would rather obey you
   than to have a thousand pieces
   of silver and gold.
    ⁷³You created me
   and put me together.
   Make me wise enough to learn
   what you have commanded.
    ⁷⁴Your worshipers will see me,
   and they will be glad
   that I trust your word.
    ⁷⁵Your decisions are correct,
   and you were right
   to punish me.
    ⁷⁶I serve you, LORD.
   Comfort me with your love,
   just as you have promised.
    ⁷⁷I love to obey your Law!
   Have mercy and let me live.
    ⁷⁸Put down those proud people
   who hurt me with their lies,
   because I have chosen
   to study your teachings.
    ⁷⁹Let your worshipers come to me,
   so they will learn
   to obey your rules.
    ⁸⁰Let me truly respect your laws,
   so I won't be ashamed.

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Proverbs 16:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴The LORD has a reason
   for everything he does,
   and he lets evil people live
   only to be punished.
    ⁵The LORD doesn't like
   anyone who is conceited--
   you can be sure
   they will be punished.

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Verse of the Day

“But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.” - Acts 20:24

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

German-born American writer, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman Henry Kissinger wrote, “Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God.”

Bible Readings for May 26, 2013

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 9:1–11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64; and Proverbs 16:1-3. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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2 Samuel 9-11:27 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 9

David Is Kind to Mephibosheth

 ¹One day, David thought, "I wonder if any of Saul's family are still alive. If they are, I will be kind to them, because I made a promise to Jonathan." ²David called in Ziba, one of the servants of Saul's family. David said, "So you are Ziba."    "Yes, Your Majesty, I am."
    ³David asked, "Are any of Saul's family still alive? If there are, I want to be kind to them."
   Ziba answered, "One of Jonathan's sons is still alive, but he can't walk."
    ⁴"Where is he?" David asked.
   Ziba replied, "He lives in Lo-Debar with Machir the son of Ammiel."
    ^5-6David sent some servants to bring Jonathan's son from Lo-Debar. His name was Mephibosheth, ^[a] and he was the grandson of Saul. He came to David and knelt down. David asked, "Are you Mephibosheth?"
   "Yes, I am, Your Majesty."
    ⁷David said, "Don't be afraid. I'll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I'm going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table."
    ⁸Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, "Why should you care about me? I'm worth no more than a dead dog."
    ⁹David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, "Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family. ¹⁰You and your fifteen sons and twenty servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants ^[b] will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table." ^11-13Ziba replied, "Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do." So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth.
   Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's ^[c] table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.

2 Samuel 10

Israel Fights Ammon

(1 Chronicles 19.1-19)

 ¹Some time later, King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king. ²David said, "Nahash was kind to me, and I will be kind to his son." So he sent some officials to the country of Ammon to tell Hanun how sorry he was that his father had died.     ³But Hanun's officials told him, "Do you really believe David is honoring your father by sending these people to comfort you? He probably sent them to spy on our city, so he can destroy it." ⁴Hanun arrested David's officials and had their beards shaved off on one side of their faces. He had their robes cut off just below the waist, and then he sent them away. ⁵They were terribly ashamed.
   When David found out what had happened to his officials, he sent a message and told them, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back. Then you can come home."
    ⁶The Ammonites realized that they had made David very angry, so they hired more foreign soldiers. Twenty thousand of them were foot soldiers from the Aramean cities of Beth-Rehob and Zobah, one thousand were from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand were from the region of Tob. ⁷David heard what they had done, and he sent out Joab with all of his well-trained soldiers.
    ⁸The Ammonite troops came out and got ready to fight in front of the gate to their city. The Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the soldiers from Tob and Maacah formed a separate group in the nearby fields.
    ⁹Joab saw that he had to fight in front and behind at the same time, and he picked some of the best Israelite soldiers to fight the Arameans. ¹⁰He put his brother Abishai in command of the rest of the army and had them fight the Ammonites. ¹¹Joab told his brother, "If the Arameans are too much for me to handle, you can come and help me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I'll come and help you. ¹²Be brave and fight hard to protect our people and the cities of our God. I pray that the LORD will do whatever pleases him."
    ¹³Joab and his soldiers attacked the Arameans, and the Arameans ran from them. ¹⁴When the Ammonite soldiers saw that the Arameans had run away, they ran from Abishai's soldiers and went back into their own city. Joab stopped fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
    ¹⁵The Arameans realized they had lost the battle, so they brought all their troops together again. ¹⁶Hadadezer sent messengers to call in the Arameans who were on the other side of the Euphrates River. Then Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer's army, led them to the town of Helam.
    ¹⁷David found out what the Arameans were doing, and he brought Israel's whole army together. They crossed the Jordan River and went to Helam, where the Arameans were ready to meet them. ¹⁸The Arameans attacked, but then they ran from Israel. David killed seven hundred chariot drivers and forty thousand cavalry. ^[d] He also killed Shobach, their commander. ¹⁹When the kings who had been under Hadadezer's rule saw that Israel had beaten them, they made peace with Israel and accepted David as their ruler. The Arameans were afraid to help Ammon any more.
   

2 Samuel 11

David and Bathsheba

(1 Chronicles 20.1a)

 ¹It was now spring, the time when kings go to war. ^[e] David sent out the whole Israelite army under the command of Joab and his officers. They destroyed the Ammonite army and surrounded the capital city of Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem. ^2-4Late one afternoon, David got up from a nap and was walking around on the flat roof of his palace. A beautiful young woman was down below in her courtyard, bathing as her religion required. ^[f] David happened to see her, and he sent one of his servants to find out who she was. The servant came back and told David, "Her name is Bathsheba. She is the daughter of Eliam, and she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite."    David sent some messengers to bring her to his palace. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she returned home. ⁵But later, when she found out that she was going to have a baby, she sent someone to David with this message: "I'm pregnant!"
    ⁶David sent a message to Joab: "Send Uriah the Hittite to me."
   Joab sent Uriah ⁷to David's palace, and David asked him, "Is Joab well? How is the army doing? And how about the war?" ⁸Then David told Uriah, "Go home and clean up." ^[g] Uriah left the king's palace, and David had dinner sent to Uriah's house. ⁹But Uriah didn't go home. Instead, he slept outside the entrance to the royal palace, where the king's guards slept. ¹⁰Someone told David that Uriah had not gone home. So the next morning David asked him, "Why didn't you go home? Haven't you been away for a long time?"
    ¹¹Uriah answered, "The sacred chest and the armies of Israel and Judah are camping out somewhere in the fields ^[h] with our commander Joab and his officers and troops. Do you really think I would go home to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? I swear by your life that I would not!" ¹²Then David said, "Stay here in Jerusalem today, and I will send you back tomorrow."
   Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day. Then the next day, ¹³David invited him for dinner. Uriah ate with David and drank so much that he got drunk, but he still did not go home. He went out and slept on his mat near the palace guards. ¹⁴Early the next morning, David wrote a letter and told Uriah to deliver it to Joab. ¹⁵The letter said: "Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is the worst. Then pull the troops back from him, so that he will be wounded and die."
    ¹⁶Joab had been carefully watching the city of Rabbah, and he put Uriah in a place where he knew there were some of the enemy's best soldiers. ¹⁷When the men of the city came out, they fought and killed some of David's soldiers--Uriah the Hittite was one of them.
    ¹⁸Joab sent a messenger to tell David everything that was happening in the war. ¹⁹He gave the messenger these orders:
   When you finish telling the king everything that has happened, ²⁰he may get angry and ask, "Why did you go so near the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? ²¹Don't you know how Abimelech the son of Gideon ^[i] was killed at Thebez? Didn't a woman kill him by dropping a large rock from the top of the city wall? Why did you go so close to the city walls?" Then you tell him, "One of your soldiers who was killed was Uriah the Hittite."
    ²²The messenger went to David and reported everything Joab had told him. ²³He added, "The enemy chased us from the wall and out into the open fields. But we pushed them back as far as the city gate. ²⁴Then they shot arrows at us from the top of the wall. Some of your soldiers were killed, and one of them was Uriah the Hittite."
    ²⁵David replied, "Tell Joab to cheer up and not to be upset about what happened. You never know who will be killed in a war. Tell him to strengthen his attack against the city and break through its walls." ^[j] ²⁶When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷Then after the time for mourning was over, David sent someone to bring her to the palace. She became David's wife, and they had a son.
   The LORD was angry at what David had done,
   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 9:5 Mephibosheth: Or "Mephibaal" (see the note at 4.4).
2. 2 Samuel 9:10 Saul's family and servants: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; Hebrew "the son of your master."
3. 2 Samuel 9:11 David's: Hebrew "my."
4. 2 Samuel 10:18 cavalry: The Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations differ as to how many and what kind of soldiers were killed.
5. 2 Samuel 11:1 when. . . war: Or "when the messengers had gone to Ammon" (see 10.2) or "the time when the kings had gone to war" (see 10.6-8).
6. 2 Samuel 11:2 as. . . required: This bathing was often a requirement for worshiping God.
7. 2 Samuel 11:8 and clean up: Or "and sleep with your wife."
8. 2 Samuel 11:11 somewhere in the fields: Or "at Succoth."
9. 2 Samuel 11:21 Gideon: The Hebrew text has Jerubbesheth, which stands for "Jerubbaal," another name for Gideon. See Judges 6.32 and the note on "bosheth" at 2.8 ("besheth" means the same as "bosheth").
10. 2 Samuel 11:25 break. . . walls: Or "destroy it."

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John 15:1-27 (Contemporary English Version)

John 15

Jesus Is the True Vine

 ¹Jesus said to his disciples:    I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. ³You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
    ⁴Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. ⁵I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. ⁶If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.
    ⁷Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. ⁸When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. ⁹I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. ¹⁰If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
    ¹¹I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. ¹²Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. ¹³The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. ¹⁴And you are my friends, if you obey me. ¹⁵Servants don't know what their master is doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.
    ¹⁶You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ^[a] ¹⁷So I command you to love each other.

The World's Hatred

 ¹⁸If the people of this world ^[b] hate you, just remember that they hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you. ²⁰Remember how I told you that servants are not greater than their master. So if people mistreat me, they will mistreat you. If they do what I say, they will do what you say. ²¹People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me. ²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.     ²³Everyone who hates me also hates my Father. ²⁴I have done things that no one else has ever done. If they had not seen me do these things, they would not be guilty. But they did see me do these things, and they still hate me and my Father too. ²⁵That is why the Scriptures are true when they say, "People hated me for no reason."
    ²⁶I will send you the Spirit who comes from the Father and shows what is true. The Spirit will help ^[c] you and will tell you about me. ²⁷Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Footnotes:

1. John 15:16 in my name: Or " because you are my followers."
2. John 15:18 world: See the note at 12.31.
3. John 15:26 help: See the note at 14.16.

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Psalm 119:49-64 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴⁹Don't forget your promise
   to me, your servant.
   I depend on it.
    ⁵⁰When I am hurting,
   I find comfort in your promise
   that leads to life.
    ⁵¹Conceited people sneer at me,
   but I obey your Law.
    ⁵²I find true comfort, LORD,
   because your laws have stood
   the test of time.
    ⁵³I get furious when evil people
   turn against your Law.
    ⁵⁴No matter where I am,
   your teachings
   fill me with songs.
    ⁵⁵Even in the night
   I think about you, LORD,
   and I obey your Law.
    ⁵⁶You have blessed me
   because I have always followed
   your teachings.
    ⁵⁷You, LORD, are my choice,
   and I will obey you.
    ⁵⁸With all my heart
   I beg you to be kind to me,
   just as you have promised.
    ⁵⁹I pay careful attention
   as you lead me,
   and I follow closely.
    ⁶⁰As soon as you command,
   I do what you say.
    ⁶¹Evil people may set a trap,
   but I obey your Law.
    ⁶²Your laws are so fair
   that I wake up
   and praise you
   in the middle of the night.
    ⁶³I choose as my friends
   everyone who worships you
   and follows your teachings.
    ⁶⁴Our LORD, your love is seen
   all over the world.
   Teach me your laws.

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Proverbs 16:1-3 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 16

The LORD Has the Final Word

 ¹We humans make plans,    but the LORD
   has the final word.
    ²We may think we know
   what is right,
   but the LORD is the judge
   of our motives.
    ³Share your plans with the LORD,
   and you will succeed.

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Verse of the Day

“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!” - John 3:17

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

19th-century French writer Stendhal wrote, “The pleasures of love are always in proportion to our fears.”