⁸ And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

¹⁶ Therefore, ^(A)confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, ^(B)that you may be healed. ^(C)The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.^[a]

^4 (A)It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for ^(B)the remnant that is left.’”

¹⁹ And all the people said to Samuel, ^(A)“Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” ²⁰ And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet ^(B)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ And ^(C)do not turn aside after ^(D)empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. ^22 (E)For the Lord will not forsake his people, ^(F)for his great name's sake, because ^(G)it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. ²³ Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing ^(H)to pray for you, ^(I)and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. ^24 (J)Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider ^(K)what great things he has done for you.