^38 (A)So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there for three years. ³⁹ And the heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for ^(B)he was comforted regarding Amnon, since he was dead.

The Woman of Tekoa

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that ^(C)the king’s heart was drawn toward Absalom. ² So Joab sent a messenger to ^(D)Tekoa and ^[a]brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not ^(E)anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days. ³ Then go to the king and speak to him in this way.” So Joab put ^(F)the words in her mouth.

⁴ Now when the woman of Tekoa ^[b]spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and ^(G)prostrated herself, and said, “^(H)Help, O king!” ⁵ And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she ^[c]answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. ⁶ And your servant had two sons, but the two of them fought in the field, and there was no ^[d]one to save ^[e]them from each other, so one struck the other and killed him. ⁷ Now behold, ^(I)the entire family has risen against your servant, and they have said, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, ^(J)and eliminate the heir as well.’ So they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to ^[f]leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

⁸ Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your home, and I will issue orders concerning you.” ⁹ The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, the king, ^(K)the guilt is on me and my father’s house, but ^(L)the king and his throne are guiltless.” ¹⁰ So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.” ¹¹ Then she said, “May the king please remember the Lord your God, ^(M)so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “^(N)As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

¹² Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” ¹³ The woman said, “^(O)Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back ^(P)his banished one. ¹⁴ For ^(Q)we will surely die and are ^(R)like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. Yet God does not take away life, but makes plans so that ^(S)the banished one will not be cast out from Him. ¹⁵ Now then, ^[g]the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the ^[h]request of his slave. ¹⁶ For the king will listen, to save his slave from the ^[i]hand of the man who would eliminate ^[j]both me and my son from ^(T)the inheritance of God.’ ¹⁷ Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be ^[k]comforting, for as ^(U)the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”

¹⁸ Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” ¹⁹ So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was ^(V)your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. ²⁰ In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, ^(W)like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth.”

Absalom Returns

²¹ Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, ^(X)I ^[l]will certainly do this thing; go then, bring back the young man Absalom.” ²² And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself, and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has performed the ^[m]request of his servant.” ²³ So Joab arose and went to ^(Y)Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ²⁴ However, the king said, “He shall return to ^(Z)his own house, but he shall not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

Teaching on Marriage

7 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is ^(A)good for a man ^[a]not to touch a woman. ² But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. ³ The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ^5 [b](B)Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and ^[c]come together again so that ^(C)Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ But this I say by way of concession, ^(D)not of command. ^7 [d]Yet I wish that all ^[e]men were ^(E)even as I myself am. However, ^(F)each has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another in that.

⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is ^(G)good for them if they remain ^(H)even as I. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, ^(I)let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ But to the married I give instructions, ^(J)not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband ¹¹ (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to ^[f]divorce his wife.

¹² But to the rest ^(K)I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not ^[g]divorce her. ¹³ And ^[h]if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not ^[i]divorce her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through ^[j]her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are ^(L)holy. ¹⁵ Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, ^[k]let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called ^[l]us ^(M)in peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, wife, whether you will ^(N)save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

¹⁷ Only, ^(O)as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. And ^(P)so I direct in ^(Q)all the churches. ¹⁸ Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? ^(R)He is not to be circumcised. ^19 (S)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is ^(T)the keeping of the commandments of God. ^20 (U)Each person is to remain in that ^[m]state in which he was called.

²¹ Were you called as a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you are also able to become free, take advantage of that. ²² For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave, is ^(V)the Lord’s freed person; likewise the one who was called as free, is ^(W)Christ’s slave. ^23 (X)You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, ^(Y)each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

²⁵ Now concerning virgins, I have ^(Z)no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who ^[n](AA)by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. ²⁶ I think, then, that this is good in view of the ^[o]present ^(AB)distress, that ^(AC)it is good for a man ^[p]to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have ^[q]trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ But this I say, brothers, ^(AD)the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; ³⁰ and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; ³¹ and those who use the world, as though they did not ^(AE)make full use of it; for ^(AF)the present form of this world is passing away.

³² But I want you to be free from concern. One who is ^(AG)unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; ³³ but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵ I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but ^[r]to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ But if anyone thinks that he is acting dishonorably toward his virgin, if she is ^[s]past her youth and it ought to be so, let him do what he wishes, he is not sinning; let ^[t]them marry. ³⁷ But the one who stands firm in his heart, ^[u]if he is not under constraint, but has authority ^[v]over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well. ³⁸ So then, both the one who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage will do better.

^39 (AH)A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband ^[w]dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only ^(AI)in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But ^(AJ)in my opinion she is ^[x]happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; ^(A)from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no impairment in him. ²⁶ And when he ^(B)cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at ^[a]two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. ²⁷ And ^(C)to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was ^(D)Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

²⁸ Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, ^(E)yet he did not see the king’s face. ²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent word again a second time, but he would not come. ³⁰ Therefore he said to his servants, “See, ^(F)Joab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the plot on fire. ³¹ Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my plot on fire?” ³² Absalom ^[b]answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, ^(G)and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.” ³³ So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself ^[c]with his face to the ground before the king; and ^(H)the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 Now it came about after this that ^(I)Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men ^[d]to run ahead of him. ² And Absalom used to rise early and ^(J)stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “See, ^(K)your ^[e]claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.” ⁴ Moreover, Absalom would say, “^(L)Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!” ⁵ And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and ^(M)kiss him. ⁶ Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; ^(N)so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷ Now it came about at the end of ^[f]four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in ^(O)Hebron. ⁸ For your servant ^(P)made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘^(Q)If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” ⁹ The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. ¹⁰ But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘^(R)Absalom is king in Hebron!’” ¹¹ Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, ^(S)who were invited and ^(T)went ^[g]innocently, for they did not know anything. ¹² And Absalom sent for ^(U)Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city ^(V)Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for ^(W)the people continually increased with Absalom.

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹ Now as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “^(A)This generation is a wicked generation; it ^(B)demands a ^[a]sign, and so no ^[b]sign will be given to it except the ^[c]sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For just as ^(C)Jonah became a ^[d]sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The ^(D)Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because ^(E)they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

³³ “^(F)No one lights a lamp and puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. ^34 (G)Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is ^[e]clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is ^[f]bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ So watch out that the light in you is not darkness. ³⁶ Therefore if your whole body is full of light, without any dark part, it will be wholly illuminated, as when the lamp illuminates you with its light.”

Woes upon the Pharisees

³⁷ Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee *asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in and reclined at the table. ³⁸ When the Pharisee saw this, he was surprised that Jesus had not first ^[g](H)ceremonially washed before the ^[h]meal. ³⁹ But ^(I)the Lord said to him, “Now ^(J)you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but your inside is full of greed and wickedness. ^40 (K)You foolish ones, did He who made the outside not make the inside also? ⁴¹ But ^(L)give that which is within as a charitable gift, and ^[i]then all things are ^(M)clean for you.

⁴² “^(N)But woe to you Pharisees! For you ^(O)pay tithes of mint, rue, and every kind of garden herb, and yet you ^[j]ignore justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you ^(P)love the seat of honor in the synagogues and personal greetings in the marketplaces. ^44 (Q)Woe to you! For you are like ^[k]unseen tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.”

⁴⁵ One of the ^[l](R)lawyers *said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us too.” ⁴⁶ But He said, “Woe to you ^(S)lawyers as well! For ^(T)you load people with burdens that are hard to bear, ^[m]while you yourselves will not even ^[n]touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ^47 (U)Woe to you! For you build the ^[o]tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them. ⁴⁸ So you are witnesses and you approve of the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their ^[p]tombs. ⁴⁹ For this reason also, ^(V)the wisdom of God said, ‘^(W)I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill, and some they will ^[q]persecute, ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed ^(X)since the foundation of the world, may be charged ^[r]against this generation, ⁵¹ from ^(Y)the blood of Abel to ^(Z)the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged ^[s]against this generation.’ ⁵² Woe to you ^[t](AA)lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; ^(AB)you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.”

⁵³ When He left that place, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to interrogate Him about many subjects, ^54 (AC)plotting against Him ^(AD)to catch ^[u]Him in something He might say.