The Lord Calls Samuel

(A)Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. (B)And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

At that time Eli, (C)whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. (D)The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down (E)in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel (F)at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli (G)all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 (H)And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, (I)because his sons were blaspheming God,[a] (J)and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli (K)that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. (L)May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, (M)“It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 (N)And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him (O)and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel (P)from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 3:13 Or blaspheming for themselves

The Lord Calls Samuel

The boy Samuel ministered(A) before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare;(B) there were not many visions.(C)

One night Eli, whose eyes(D) were becoming so weak that he could barely see,(E) was lying down in his usual place. The lamp(F) of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house(G) of the Lord, where the ark(H) of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.(I) And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know(J) the Lord: The word(K) of the Lord had not yet been revealed(L) to him.

A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!(M)

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.(N) 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything(O) I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain(P) them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned(Q) for by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide(R) it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely,(S) if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”(T)

19 The Lord was with(U) Samuel as he grew(V) up, and he let none(W) of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba(X) recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 3:13 An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text sons made themselves contemptible

My Soul Thirsts for You

A Psalm of David, (A)when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 O God, you are my God; (B)earnestly I seek you;
    (C)my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in (D)a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding (E)your power and glory.
Because your (F)steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you (G)as long as I live;
    in your (H)name I will (I)lift up my hands.

My soul will be (J)satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you (K)upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in (L)the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
    and in (M)the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul (N)clings to you;
    your right hand (O)upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life
    (P)shall go down into (Q)the depths of the earth;

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Psalm 63[a]

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(A)
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.(B)

I have seen you in the sanctuary(C)
    and beheld your power and your glory.(D)
Because your love is better than life,(E)
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,(F)
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.(G)
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(H)
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.(I)
Because you are my help,(J)
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.(K)
I cling to you;(L)
    your right hand upholds me.(M)

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(N)
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.

10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But (A)the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who (B)swear by him shall exult,
    (C)for the mouths of (D)liars will be stopped.

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10 They will be given over to the sword(A)
    and become food for jackals.(B)

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,(C)
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(D)

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Or do you not know that the unrighteous[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: (A)neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[b] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And (B)such were some of you. But (C)you were washed, (D)you were sanctified, (E)you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Flee Sexual Immorality

12 (F)“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 (G)“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one (H)and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but (I)for the Lord, and (J)the Lord for the body. 14 And (K)God raised the Lord and (L)will also raise us up (M)by his power. 15 Do you not know that (N)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined[c] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, (O)“The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord (P)becomes one spirit with him. 18 (Q)Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[d] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person (R)sins against his own body. 19 Or (S)do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? (T)You are not your own, 20 (U)for you were bought with a price. (V)So glorify God in your body.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Or wrongdoers
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts
  3. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Or who holds fast (compare Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 10:20); also verse 17
  4. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Or Every sin

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?(A) Do not be deceived:(B) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers(C) nor men who have sex with men[a](D) 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers(E) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were.(F) But you were washed,(G) you were sanctified,(H) you were justified(I) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexual Immorality

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.(J) “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.”(K) The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord,(L) and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead,(M) and he will raise us also.(N) 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?(O) Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[b](P) 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c](Q)

18 Flee from sexual immorality.(R) All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.(S) 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples(T) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;(U) 20 you were bought at a price.(V) Therefore honor God with your bodies.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Gen. 2:24
  3. 1 Corinthians 6:17 Or in the Spirit

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 (A)The next day Jesus decided (B)to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now (C)Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found (D)Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom (E)Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus (F)of Nazareth, (G)the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, (H)“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, (I)an Israelite indeed, (J)in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How (K)do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, (L)“Rabbi, (M)you are the Son of God! You are the (N)King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[a] you will see (O)heaven opened, and (P)the angels of God ascending and descending on (Q)the Son of Man.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:51 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(A) he said to him, “Follow me.”(B)

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(C) 45 Philip found Nathanael(D) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(E) and about whom the prophets also wrote(F)—Jesus of Nazareth,(G) the son of Joseph.”(H)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(I) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(J) in whom there is no deceit.”(K)

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(L) you are the Son of God;(M) you are the king of Israel.”(N)

50 Jesus said, “You believe[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[b] you[c] will see ‘heaven open,(O) and the angels of God ascending and descending(P) on’[d] the Son of Man.”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:50 Or Do you believe … ?
  2. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  3. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  4. John 1:51 Gen. 28:12