David Anointed King of Israel

5 Then all the tribes of Israel ^(A)came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ^(B)we are your bone and flesh. ² In times past, when Saul was king over us, ^(C)it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ^(D)‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^(E)and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^(F)before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^(G)he reigned for forty years. ^5 (H)At Hebron he reigned over Judah for ^(I)seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.^[a]

⁹ And David lived in the stronghold and called it ^(A)the city of David. And David built the city all round from the ^(B)Millo inwards. ¹⁰ And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

² I know a man ^(A)in Christ who fourteen years ago was ^(B)caught up to ^(C)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(D)God knows. ³ And I know that this man was caught up into ^(E)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(F)God knows— ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵ On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^(G)except of my weaknesses. ⁶ Though if I should wish to boast, ^(H)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷ So ^(I)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{[a] (J)}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(K)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ^8 (L)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹ But he said to me, ^(M)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(N)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(O)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10 (P)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(Q)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(R)when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6 ^(A)He went away from there and came to ^(B)his home town, and his disciples followed him. ² And ^(C)on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and ^(D)many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ^3 (E)Is not this ^(F)the carpenter, the son of Mary and ^(G)brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And ^(H)they took offence at him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, ^(I)“A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And ^(J)he could do no mighty work there, except that ^(K)he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And ^(L)he marvelled because of their unbelief.

^(M)And he went about among the villages teaching.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

^7 (N)And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— ⁹ but to ^(O)wear sandals and not put on two tunics.^{[a] 10} And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹ And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, ^(P)shake off the dust that is on your feet ^(Q)as a testimony against them.” ^12 (R)So they went out and ^(S)proclaimed ^(T)that people should repent. ^13 (U)And they cast out many demons and ^(V)anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.