⁹ Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.^{(A) 10} In her deep anguish^(B) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹ And she made a vow,^(C) saying, “Lord Almighty^(D), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember^(E) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,^(F) and no razor^(G) will ever be used on his head.”

¹² As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

¹⁵ “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.^(H) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring^(I) out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”^(J)

¹⁷ Eli answered, “Go in peace,^(K) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.^(L)”

¹⁸ She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.^(M)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.^(N)

¹⁹ Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.^(O) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered^(P) her. ²⁰ So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(Q) She named^(R) him Samuel,^[a](S) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

Psalm 123

A song of ascents.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(A)

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.^{(B) 22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.^{(C) 23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us,^(D) Jesus of Nazareth?^(E) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”^(F)

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”^{(G) 26} The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.^(H)

²⁷ The people were all so amazed^(I) that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region^(J) of Galilee.