Saul’s Search

9 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^(A)Kish the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a ^[a]valiant mighty man. ² He had a son whose name was Saul, a ^(B)young and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; ^(C)from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

³ Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered off. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Now take with you one of the servants and arise, go search for the donkeys.” ⁴ So he passed through ^(D)the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of ^(E)Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of ^(F)Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they came to the land of ^(G)Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let’s return, ^(H)or else my father will stop being concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious about us.” ⁶ But he said to him, “Behold now, there is ^(I)a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; ^(J)everything that he says definitely comes true. Now let’s go there, ^(K)perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” ⁷ Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sacks and there is ^(L)no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” ⁸ The servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will ^(M)tell us our way.” ⁹ (Previously in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let’s go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was previously called ^(N)a seer.) ¹⁰ Then Saul said to his servant, “^[b]Good idea; come, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

¹¹ As they went up the slope to the city, ^(O)they found young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer here?” ¹² They answered them and said, “He is; ^[c]see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, because ^(P)the people have a sacrifice on ^(Q)the high place today. ¹³ As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because ^(R)he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now then, go up, for you will find him about this time.” ¹⁴ So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

God’s Choice for King

¹⁵ Now a day before Saul’s coming, ^(S)the Lord had ^[d]revealed this to Samuel, saying, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^(T)you shall anoint him as ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^(U)I have considered My people, because their outcry has come to Me.” ¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord ^[e]said to him, “^(V)Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” ¹⁸ Then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” ¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you everything that is on your mind. ^20 (W)And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And ^(X)for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” ²¹ Saul replied, “^(Y)Am I not a Benjaminite, of ^(Z)the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ^[f]tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

²² Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. ²³ And Samuel said to the cook, “^[g]Serve the portion that I gave you about which I said to you, ‘Set it ^[h]aside.’” ²⁴ Then the cook ^(AA)took up the leg with what was on it and placed it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Place it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ^[i]since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ When they came down from the high place into the city, ^[j]Samuel spoke with Saul ^(AB)on the roof. ²⁶ And they got up early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, so that I may send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. ²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Speak to the servant and have him go on ahead of us and pass by; but you stand here now, so that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”

Job Rebukes Bildad

26 Then Job responded,

The Greatness of God

Message to Sardis

3 “To the angel of the church in ^(A)Sardis write:

He who has ^[a](B)the seven spirits of God and ^(C)the seven stars, says this: ‘^(D)I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are ^(E)dead. ² Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. ³ So ^(F)remember ^[b]what you have received and heard; and ^[c]keep it, and ^(G)repent. Then if you are not alert, ^(H)I will come ^(I)like a thief, and you will not know at ^(J)what hour I will come to you. ⁴ But you have a few ^[d](K)people in ^(L)Sardis who have not ^(M)soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me ^(N)in white, for they are worthy. ^5 (O)The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in ^(P)white garments; and I will not ^(Q)erase his name from the book of life, and ^(R)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. ^6 (S)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Philadelphia

⁷ “And to the angel of the church in ^(T)Philadelphia write:

^(U)He who is holy, ^(V)who is true, who has ^(W)the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

⁸ ‘^(X)I know your ^[e]deeds. Behold, I have put before you ^(Y)an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and ^(Z)have not denied My name. ⁹ Behold, I ^[f]will make those of ^(AA)the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them ^(AB)come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that ^(AC)I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have ^(AD)kept ^(AE)My ^[g]word of perseverance, ^(AF)I also will keep you from the hour of the ^[h](AG)testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole ^[i](AH)world, to ^[j]test ^(AI)those who live on the earth. ^11 (AJ)I am coming quickly; ^(AK)hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your ^(AL)crown. ^12 (AM)The one who overcomes, I will make him a ^(AN)pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the ^(AO)name of My God, and ^(AP)the name of the city of My God, ^(AQ)the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My ^(AR)new name. ^13 (AS)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in ^(AT)Laodicea write:

^(AU)The Amen, ^(AV)the faithful and true Witness, ^(AW)the ^[k]Origin of the creation of God, says this:

¹⁵ ‘^(AX)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; ^(AY)I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, “^(AZ)I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to ^(BA)buy from Me ^(BB)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and ^(BC)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and ^(BD)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. ^19 (BE)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and ^(BF)repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand ^(BG)at the door and ^(BH)knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, ^(BI)I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ^21 (BJ)The one who overcomes, I will grant to him ^(BK)to sit with Me on My throne, as ^(BL)I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. ^22 (BM)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”