Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

⁵ Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful^(A) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.^(B) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.

⁶ When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,^(C) with joyful songs and with timbrels^(D) and lyres. ⁷ As they danced, they sang:^(E)

⁸ Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?^(G)” ⁹ And from that time on Saul kept a close^(H) eye on David.

¹⁰ The next day an evil^[a] spirit^(I) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,^(J) as he usually^(K) did. Saul had a spear^(L) in his hand ¹¹ and he hurled it, saying to himself,^(M) “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded^(N) him twice.^(O)

¹² Saul was afraid^(P) of David, because the Lord^(Q) was with^(R) David but had departed from^(S) Saul. ¹³ So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led^(T) the troops in their campaigns.^{(U) 14} In everything he did he had great success,^(V) because the Lord was with^(W) him. ¹⁵ When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.^(X)

¹⁷ Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter^(Y) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;^(Z) only serve me bravely and fight the battles^(AA) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,^(AB) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”

¹⁸ But David said to Saul, “Who am I,^(AC) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?^(AD)” ¹⁹ So^[b] when the time came for Merab,^(AE) Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.^(AF)

²⁰ Now Saul’s daughter Michal^(AG) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.^{(AH) 21} “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare^(AI) to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”

²² Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”

²³ They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law?^(AJ) I’m only a poor man and little known.”

²⁴ When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, ²⁵ Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price^(AK) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge^(AL) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan^(AM) was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

²⁶ When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, ²⁷ David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal^(AN) in marriage.

²⁸ When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal^(AO) loved David, ²⁹ Saul became still more afraid^(AP) of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

³⁰ The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success^(AQ) than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.

The Church in Antioch

¹⁹ Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed^(A) traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch,^(B) spreading the word only among Jews. ²⁰ Some of them, however, men from Cyprus^(C) and Cyrene,^(D) went to Antioch^(E) and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news^(F) about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The Lord’s hand was with them,^(G) and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.^(H)

²² News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas^(I) to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done,^(J) he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.^{(K) 24} He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit^(L) and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.^(M)

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus^(N) to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples^(O) were called Christians first^(P) at Antioch.

²⁷ During this time some prophets^(Q) came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus,^(R) stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.^(S) (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)^{(T) 29} The disciples,^(U) as each one was able, decided to provide help^(V) for the brothers and sisters^(W) living in Judea. ³⁰ This they did, sending their gift to the elders^(X) by Barnabas^(Y) and Saul.^(Z)

Jesus Heals Many^(A)(B)

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue,^(C) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.^(D) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.^{(E) 33} The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.^(F) He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.^(G)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(H)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^{(I) 36} Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”^{(J) 39} So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues^(K) and driving out demons.^(L)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(M)

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[a] came to him and begged him on his knees,^(N) “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.^(O) But go, show yourself to the priest^(P) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,^(Q) as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.^(R) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.^(S)