David's Instructions to Solomon

2 ^(A)When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, ^2 (B)“I am about to go the way of all the earth. ^(C)Be strong, and show yourself a man, ³ and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, ^(D)that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, ⁴ that the Lord may ^(E)establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ^(F)‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, ^(G)to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, ^(H)you shall not lack^[a] a man on the throne of Israel.’

⁵ “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah ^(I)did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, ^(J)Abner the son of Ner, ^(K)and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging^[b] in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war^[c] on the belt around his^[d] waist and on the sandals on his feet. ⁶ Act therefore ^(L)according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. ⁷ But deal loyally with the sons of ^(M)Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be ^(N)among those who eat at your table, ^(O)for with such loyalty^[e] they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. ⁸ And there is also with you ^(P)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day ^(Q)when I went to Mahanaim. ^(R)But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ ⁹ Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, ^(S)for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall ^(T)bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”

The Death of David

^10 (U)Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in ^(V)the city of David. ¹¹ And the time that David reigned over Israel was ^(W)forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ^12 (X)So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

^21 (A)And they went into Capernaum, and immediately ^(B)on the Sabbath ^(C)he entered the synagogue and was teaching. ²² And ^(D)they were astonished at his teaching, ^(E)for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ^24 (F)“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? ^(G)I know who you are—^(H)the Holy One of God.” ²⁵ But Jesus ^(I)rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, ^(J)convulsing him and ^(K)crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ And they were all ^(L)amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? ^(M)A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Shepherd the Flock of God

5 So I exhort the elders among you, ^(A)as a fellow elder and ^(B)a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ^2 (C)shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,^{[a] (D)}not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;^{[b] (E)}not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not ^(F)domineering over those in your charge, but ^(G)being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when ^(H)the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(I)unfading ^(J)crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. ^(K)Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ^(L)“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

^6 (M)Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ^7 (N)casting all your anxieties on him, because ^(O)he cares for you. ^8 (P)Be sober-minded; ^(Q)be watchful. Your ^(R)adversary the devil ^(S)prowls around ^(T)like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ^9 (U)Resist him, ^(V)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(W)the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ And ^(X)after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, ^(Y)who has called you to his ^(Z)eternal glory in Christ, will himself ^(AA)restore, ^(AB)confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ^11 (AC)To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹² By ^(AD)Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, ^(AE)I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is ^(AF)the true grace of God. ^(AG)Stand firm in it. ¹³ She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does ^(AH)Mark, my son. ^14 (AI)Greet one another with the kiss of love.

^(AJ)Peace to all of you who are in Christ.