⁶ When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,^(A) with joyful songs and with timbrels^(B) and lyres. ⁷ As they danced, they sang:^(C)

⁸ Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?^(E)” ⁹ And from that time on Saul kept a close^(F) eye on David.

Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Saul told his son Jonathan^(A) and all the attendants to kill^(B) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ² and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding^(C) and stay there. ³ I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak^(D) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

⁴ Jonathan spoke^(E) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong^(F) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ⁵ He took his life^(G) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory^(H) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent^(I) man like David by killing him for no reason?”

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

⁷ So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.^(J)

⁸ Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Crowds Follow Jesus^(A)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^{(B) 8} When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.^{(C) 9} Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many,^(D) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.^{(E) 11} Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”^{(F) 12} But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.^(G)

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(A) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!^{(B) 9} If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame^(C) and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(D) whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead,^(E) that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”^(G)

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John^(H) and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,^(I) they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.^(J)

To the Elders and the Flock

5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder^(A) and a witness^(B) of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:^{(C) 2} Be shepherds of God’s flock^(D) that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;^(E) not pursuing dishonest gain,^(F) but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over^(G) those entrusted to you, but being examples^(H) to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd^(I) appears, you will receive the crown of glory^(J) that will never fade away.^(K)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(A)

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(B) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(C)

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(D)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(E) but by my Father in heaven.^{(F) 18} And I tell you that you are Peter,^[a](G) and on this rock I will build my church,^(H) and the gates of Hades^[b] will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys^(I) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[d] loosed in heaven.”^{(J) 20} Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^(K) that he was the Messiah.