Saul Fights the Philistines

13 Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,^{[a] 2} Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in ^(A)Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in ^(B)Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. ³ Jonathan defeated ^(C)the garrison of the Philistines that was ^(D)at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul ^(E)blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” ⁴ And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops ^(F)like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of ^(G)Beth-aven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves ^(H)in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, ⁷ and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice

^8 (I)He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰ As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. ¹¹ Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, ¹² I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” ¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, ^(J)“You have done foolishly. ^(K)You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now ^(L)your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man ^(M)after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince^[b] over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and ^(A)was baptizing. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized ²⁴ (for ^(B)John had not yet been put in prison).

²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over ^(C)purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, ^(D)“Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, ^(E)to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and ^(F)all are going to him.” ²⁷ John answered, ^(G)“A person cannot receive even one thing ^(H)unless it is given him ^(I)from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^(J)‘I am not the Christ, but ^(K)I have been sent before him.’ ^29 (L)The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. ^(M)The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, ^(N)rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ^30 (O)He must increase, but I must decrease.”^[a]

^31 (P)He who comes from above ^(Q)is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and ^(R)speaks in an earthly way. ^(S)He who comes from heaven ^(T)is above all. ^32 (U)He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, ^(V)yet no one receives his testimony. ³³ Whoever receives his testimony ^(W)sets his seal to this, ^(X)that God is true. ³⁴ For he whom ^(Y)God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit ^(Z)without measure. ^35 (AA)The Father loves the Son and ^(AB)has given all things into his hand. ^36 (AC)Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; ^(AD)whoever does not obey the Son shall not ^(AE)see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.