David’s Defeat of the Amalekites

30 David and his men^(A) arrived in Ziklag^(B) on the third day. The Amalekites^(C) had raided the Negev and attacked and burned Ziklag. ² They also had kidnapped the women and everyone^[a] in it from youngest to oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off^(D) as they went on their way.

³ When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped. ⁴ David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives,^(E) Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped. ⁶ David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him,^(F) for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.^(G)

⁷ David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.”^(H) So Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸ and David asked the Lord,^(I) “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” ^(J)

The Lord replied to him, “Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people.”^(K)

⁹ So David and the six hundred men with him^(L) went. They came to the Wadi Besor, where some stayed behind.^{(M) 10} David and four hundred of the men continued the pursuit, while two hundred stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

¹¹ David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived,^(N) for he hadn’t eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

¹³ Then David said to him, “Who do you belong to? Where are you from?”

“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite man,” he said. “My master abandoned me when I got sick three days ago. ¹⁴ We raided the south country of the Cherethites,^(O) the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb,^(P) and we burned Ziklag.”^(Q)

¹⁵ David then asked him, “Will you lead me to these raiders?”

He said, “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or turn me over to my master, and I will lead you to them.”

¹⁶ So he led him, and there were the Amalekites, spread out over the entire area, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder^(R) they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day.^(S) None of them escaped, except four hundred young men who got on camels and fled.^(T)

¹⁸ David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, and all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back.^{(U) 20} He took all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, “This is David’s plunder!” ^(V)

²¹ When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor,^(W) they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, he greeted them, ²² but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”

²³ But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the Lord has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us. ²⁴ Who can agree to your proposal? The share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies. They will share equally.”^{(X) 25} And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy^[b] as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it still continues today.

²⁶ When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you^(Y) from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”^{(Z) 27} He sent gifts^[c] to those in Bethel,^(AA) in Ramoth of the Negev,^(AB) and in Jattir;^{(AC) 28} to those in Aroer,^(AD) in Siphmoth,^(AE) and in Eshtemoa;^{(AF) 29} to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites,^(AG) and in the towns of the Kenites;^{(AH) 30} to those in Hormah,^(AI) in Bor-ashan,^(AJ) and in Athach; ³¹ to those in Hebron,^(AK) and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.^(AL)

The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,^(AM) and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.^{(AN) 2} The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul,^(AO) the archers found him and severely wounded him.^{[d] 4} Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,^(AP) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men^(AQ) will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.^{(AR) 5} When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. ⁶ So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

⁷ When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news^(AS) in the temples of their idols^(AT) and among the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths^(AU) and hung his body^(AV) on the wall of Beth-shan.^(AW)

¹¹ When the residents of Jabesh-gilead^(AX) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men^(AY) set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.^{(AZ) 13} Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree^(BA) in Jabesh^(BB) and fasted seven days.

The Death of Saul and His Sons

10 The Philistines^(A) fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers spotted him and severely wounded him. ⁴ Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died—his whole house died together.

⁷ When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon.^(B)

¹¹ When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak^[a] in Jabesh^(C) and fasted seven days.

¹³ Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word.^(D) He even consulted a medium for guidance,^{(E) 14} but he did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.^(F)

Paul in Macedonia

20 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia.^{(A) 2} And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece ³ and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.^{(B) 4} He was accompanied^[a] by Sopater son of Pyrrhus^[b] from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy,^(C) and Tychicus^(D) and Trophimus^(E) from the province of Asia. ⁵ These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas,^{(F) 6} but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread.^(G) In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days.

Eutychus Revived at Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread.^(H) Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, ⁹ and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.”^{(I) 11} After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. ¹² They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.

From Troas to Miletus

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul on board, because these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ Sailing from there, the next day we arrived off Chios. The following day we crossed over to Samos, and^[c] the day after, we came to Miletus.^{(J) 16} For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.^(K)

Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders

¹⁷ Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time,^{(L) 19} serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.^{(M) 20} You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable and to teach you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God^(N) and faith in our Lord Jesus.^(O)

²² “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit,^[d] not knowing what I will encounter there,^{(P) 23} except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.^{(Q) 24} But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course^[e] and the ministry^(R) I received from the Lord Jesus,^(S) to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

²⁵ “And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. ²⁶ Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent^[f] of the blood of all of you,^{(T) 27} because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.^{(U) 28} Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock^(V) of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,^(W) to shepherd the church of God,^[g] which he purchased with his own blood.^{(X) 29} I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.^{(Y) 31} Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.^(Z)

³² “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,^(AA) which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance^(AB) among all who are sanctified. ³³ I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(AC) 34} You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.^{(AD) 35} In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.^{(AE) 37} There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, ³⁸ grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.^(AF)