David Made King over All Israel^(A)

11 Then ^(B)all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. ² Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord your ^(C)God said to you, ‘You shall ^(D)shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel.’ ” ³ Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And ^(E)they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord ^[a]by ^(F)Samuel.

The City of David^(G)

⁴ And David and all Israel ^(H)went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, ^(I)where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. ⁵ But the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). ⁶ Now David said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be ^[b]chief and captain.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief. ⁷ Then David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it ^[c]the City of David. ⁸ And he built the city around it, from ^[d]the Millo to the surrounding area. Joab ^[e]repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ So David ^(J)went on and became great, and the Lord of hosts was with ^(K)him.

The Mighty Men of David^(L)

¹⁰ Now ^(M)these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to ^(N)the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

¹¹ And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: ^(O)Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, ^(P)chief of ^[f]the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time.

¹² After him was Eleazar the son of ^(Q)Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. ¹³ He was with David at ^[g]Pasdammim. Now there the Philistines were gathered for battle, and there was a piece of ground full of barley. So the people fled from the Philistines. ¹⁴ But they ^[h]stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹⁵ Now three of the thirty chief men ^(R)went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped ^(S)in the Valley of ^[i]Rephaim. ¹⁶ David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁷ And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁸ So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁹ And he said, “Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

^20 (T)Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another ^[j]three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. ^21 (U)Of the three he was more honored than the other two men. Therefore he became their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.

²² Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who ^[k]had done many deeds. ^(V)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. ²³ And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great height, ^[l]five cubits tall. In the Egyptian’s hand there was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. ²⁵ Indeed he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

²⁶ Also the mighty warriors were ^(W)Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^27 [m]Shammoth the Harorite, ^(X)Helez the ^[n]Pelonite, ^28 (Y)Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ^(Z)Abiezer the Anathothite, ^29 [o]Sibbechai the Hushathite, ^[p]Ilai the Ahohite, ^30 (AA)Maharai the Netophathite, ^[q]Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, ^31 [r]Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, ^(AB)Benaiah the Pirathonite, ^32 [s]Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, ^[t]Abiel the Arbathite, ³³ Azmaveth the ^[u]Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, ³⁴ the sons of ^[v]Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Hararite, ³⁵ Ahiam the son of ^[w]Sacar the Hararite, ^[x]Eliphal the son of ^[y]Ur, ³⁶ Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ^37 [z]Hezro the Carmelite, ^[aa]Naarai the son of Ezbai, ³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the ^[ab]Berothite (the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), ⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ^41 (AC)Uriah the Hittite, ^[ac]Zabad the son of Ahlai, ⁴² Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites) and thirty with him, ⁴³ Hanan the son of Maachah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵ Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Faith Persevering in Trial^(A)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Feeding the Four Thousand^(A)

8 In those days, ^(B)the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, ² “I have ^(C)compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

⁴ Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

^5 (D)He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”

⁶ So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. ⁷ They also had a few small fish; and ^(E)having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. ⁸ So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. ⁹ Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, ^10 (F)immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees Seek a Sign^(G)

^11 (H)Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. ¹² But He ^(I)sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, ^(J)no sign shall be given to this generation.”

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod^(K)

¹³ And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. ^14 (L)Now ^[a]the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. ^15 (M)Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the ^[b]leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

¹⁶ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? ^(N)Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart ^[c]still hardened? ¹⁸ Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? ^19 (O)When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”

They said to Him, “Twelve.”

²⁰ “Also, ^(P)when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”

And they said, “Seven.”

²¹ So He said to them, “How is it ^(Q)you do not understand?”

A Blind Man Healed at Bethsaida

²² Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a ^(R)blind man to Him, and begged Him to ^(S)touch him. ²³ So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when ^(T)He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

²⁵ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. ²⁶ Then He sent him away to his house, saying, ^[d]“Neither go into the town, ^(U)nor tell anyone in the town.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(V)

^27 (W)Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

²⁸ So they answered, ^(X)“John the Baptist; but some say, ^(Y)Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, ^(Z)“You are the Christ.”

^30 (AA)Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(AB)

³¹ And ^(AC)He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be ^(AD)rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be ^(AE)killed, and after three days rise again. ³² He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³ But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He ^(AF)rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not ^[e]mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him^(AG)

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ^(AH)“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ³⁵ For ^(AI)whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? ³⁷ Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ^38 (AJ)For whoever ^(AK)is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”