The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,^(A) and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.^{(B) 2} The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul,^(C) the archers found him and severely wounded him.^{[a] 4} Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,^(D) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men^(E) 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.^{(F) 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^(G) in the temples of their idols^(H) and among the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths^(I) and hung his body^(J) on the wall of Beth-shan.^(K)

¹¹ When the residents of Jabesh-gilead^(L) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men^(M) 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.^{(N) 13} Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree^(O) in Jabesh^(P) and fasted seven days.

11 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(A)

Instructions about Head Coverings

² Now I praise you^[a] because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions^(B) just as I delivered^(C) them to you. ³ But I want you to know that Christ is the head^(D) of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,^[b](E) and God is the head of Christ.^{(F) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors^(G) his head. ⁵ Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.^{(H) 6} For if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her head be covered.

⁷ A man should not cover his head, because he is the image^(I) and glory of God.^(J) So too, woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.^{(K) 9} Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. ¹⁰ This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.^(L)

¹³ Judge^(M) for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach^(N) you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace^(O) to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?^(P) For her hair is given to her^[c] as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other^[d] custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions^(Q) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(R) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.^[e] So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(S) On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,^[f] “This is my body, which is^[g] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”^(T)

²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(U) in my blood.^(V) Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death^(W) until he comes.^(X)

Self-Examination

²⁷ So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body^[h] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[i] eats and drinks judgment^(Y) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(Z) 31} If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged^(AA) by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned^(AB) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.^{[j] 34} If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(AC)

Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

9 Then he called loudly in my hearing, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.” ² And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate,^(A) which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen,^(B) carrying writing equipment. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ Then the glory of the God of Israel^(C) rose from above the cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment. ⁴ “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads^(D) of the men who sigh and groan^(E) over all the detestable practices committed in it.”

⁵ He spoke to the others in my hearing: “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!^{(F) 6} Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the children and older women,^(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.^(H) Begin at my sanctuary.”^(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. ⁷ Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.^(J) Go!” So they went out killing people in the city.

⁸ While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord God!^(K) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹ He answered me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed,^(L) and the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land;^(M) he does not see.’^{(N) 10} But as for me, I will not show pity or spare them.^(O) I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.”^(P)

¹¹ Then the man clothed in linen and carrying writing equipment reported back, “I have done all that you commanded me.”

Psalm 48

Zion Exalted

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.