Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

²¹ The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

²² Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king.^(A) Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

²³ Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. ²⁴ But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

²⁵ In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. ²⁶ Whenever he cut the hair of his head^(B)—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels^[a] by the royal standard.

²⁷ Three sons^(C) and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar,^(D) and she became a beautiful woman.

²⁸ Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. ²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. ³⁰ Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley^(E) there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

³¹ Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?^(F)”

³² Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur?^(G) It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”^(H)

³³ So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed^(I) Absalom.

¹⁵ After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.^{(A) 16} Some of the disciples from Caesarea^(B) accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus^(C) and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

¹⁷ When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters^(D) received us warmly.^{(E) 18} The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,^(F) and all the elders^(G) were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles^(H) through his ministry.^(I)

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous^(J) for the law.^{(K) 21} They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,^(L) telling them not to circumcise their children^(M) or live according to our customs.^{(N) 22} What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ²³ so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.^{(O) 24} Take these men, join in their purification rites^(P) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.^(Q) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”^(R)

²⁶ The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.^(S)

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(A)

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees^(B) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(C)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”^(D)

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(F) Then come, follow me.”^(G)

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich^(H) to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[b] to enter the kingdom of God!^{(I) 25} It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”^(J)

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”^(K)

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”^(L)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much^(M) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come^(N) eternal life.^{(O) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(P)