David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came about after ^(A)the death of Saul, when David had returned from ^(B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David stayed two days in Ziklag. ² And on the third day, behold, ^(C)a man came from ^[a]Saul’s camp ^(D)with his clothes torn and ^[b]dust on his head. And it happened when he came to David, ^(E)he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. ³ Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” ⁴ David said to him, “^(F)How did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” ⁵ Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ⁶ The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on ^(G)Mount Gilboa, and behold, ^(H)Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen had overtaken him. ⁷ When he looked behind himself, he saw me, and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ ⁸ Then he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I ^[c]answered him, ‘^(I)I am an Amalekite.’ ⁹ And he said to me, ‘Please stand next to me and finish me off, for ^[d]agony has seized me because my ^[e]life still lingers in me.’ ¹⁰ So I stood next to him ^(J)and finished him off, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And ^(K)I took the crown which was on his head and the band which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

¹¹ Then ^(L)David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. ¹² And they mourned and wept and ^(M)fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. ¹³ Then David said to the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” And he ^[f]answered, “^(N)I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.” ¹⁴ And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid ^(O)to reach out with your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” ¹⁵ Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come forward, ^[g]put him to death.” ^(P)So he struck him and he died. ¹⁶ And David said to him, “^[h](Q)Your blood is on your head, because ^(R)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have finished off the Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Song of Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

¹⁷ Then David ^(S)sang this song of mourning over Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in ^(T)the Book of Jashar.

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(A)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, ^(B)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (C)You know that when you were ^[a]pagans, you were ^(D)led ^[b]astray to the ^(E)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[c](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[d](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(H)Lord,” except ^[e](I)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(K)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(L)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(M)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(N)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(O)faith ^[f]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(P)gifts of ^[g]healing ^[h]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[i]effecting of ^[j](Q)miracles, and to another ^(R)prophecy, and to another the ^[k](S)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(T)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(U)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(V)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[l]wills.

¹² For just ^(W)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(X)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[m](Y)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(Z)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(AA)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(AB)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[n]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[o]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(AC)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(AD)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(AE)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[p]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[q]consider less honorable, ^[r]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[s]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[t]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(AF)Christ’s body, and ^(AG)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[u](AH)appointed in ^(AI)the church, first ^(AJ)apostles, second ^(AK)prophets, third ^(AL)teachers, then ^[v](AM)miracles, then ^(AN)gifts of healings, helps, ^(AO)administrations, and various ^(AP)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[w]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(AQ)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(AR)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.