A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul

^14 (A)But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and ^(B)a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.

¹² Now Saul was ^(A)afraid of David, because ^(B)the Lord was with him, but had ^(C)departed from Saul.

¹⁵ Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you ^(A)disturbed me by bringing me up?”

And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and ^(B)God has departed from me and ^(C)does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”

¹⁰ And it happened on the next day that ^(A)the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, ^(B)and he prophesied inside the house. So David ^(C)played music with his hand, as at other times; ^(D)but there was a spear in Saul’s hand.

²⁰ And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord ^(A)had departed from him.

^23 (A)God sent a ^(B)spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem ^(C)dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

¹⁶ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, ^[a]overpowered them, and prevailed against ^[b]them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

²² The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ^(A)‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’