Saul and the Spirit Medium

28 Now it came about in those days that (A)the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you [a]my bodyguard (B)for life.”

Now (C)Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him (D)in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who (E)were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped (F)in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in (G)Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. (H)When Saul inquired of the Lord, (I)the Lord did not answer him, either by (J)dreams or by (K)Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, (L)there is a woman who is a medium at (M)En-dor.”

Then Saul (N)disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “(O)Conjure up for me, please, and (P)bring up for me whom I shall [b]name to you.” But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know (Q)what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Saul vowed to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a [c]divine being coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and (R)he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and (S)he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and (T)God has departed from me and (U)no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary? 17 The Lord has done [d]accordingly (V)as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 As (W)you did not [e]obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow (X)you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the Lord will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no [f]food all day and all night. 21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has [g]obeyed you, and (Y)I have [h]taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22 So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.” 23 But he refused and said, “(Z)I will not eat.” (AA)However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to [i]them. So he arose from the ground and sat on (AB)the bed. 24 The woman had a (AC)fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she (AD)took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 28:2 Lit keeper of my head
  2. 1 Samuel 28:8 Lit say
  3. 1 Samuel 28:13 Or god
  4. 1 Samuel 28:17 Lit for himself
  5. 1 Samuel 28:18 Lit listen to the voice of
  6. 1 Samuel 28:20 Lit bread
  7. 1 Samuel 28:21 Lit listened to your voice
  8. 1 Samuel 28:21 Lit put
  9. 1 Samuel 28:23 Lit their voices

The Lord the Keeper of Israel.

A Song of Ascents.

121 I will (A)lift up my eyes to (B)the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My (C)help comes from the Lord,
Who (D)made heaven and earth.
He will not (E)allow your foot to slip;
He who (F)keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your (G)keeper;
The Lord is your (H)shade on your right hand.
The (I)sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will [a](J)protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The Lord will [b](K)guard your going out and your coming in
(L)From this time forth and forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 121:7 Or keep
  2. Psalm 121:8 Or keep

The Goal of Life

Finally, my brethren, (A)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Beware of the (B)dogs, beware of the (C)evil workers, beware of the [a]false circumcision; for (D)we are the true [b]circumcision, who (E)worship in the Spirit of God and (F)glory in (G)Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although (H)I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: (I)circumcised the eighth day, of the (J)nation of Israel, of the (K)tribe of Benjamin, a (L)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (M)a Pharisee; as to zeal, (N)a persecutor of the church; as to the (O)righteousness which is in the Law, found (P)blameless.

But (Q)whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss [c]in view of the surpassing value of [d](R)knowing (S)Christ Jesus my Lord, [e]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having (T)a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, (U)the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may (V)know Him and (W)the power of His resurrection and [f](X)the fellowship of His sufferings, being (Y)conformed to His death; 11 [g]in order that I may (Z)attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already (AA)obtained it or have already (AB)become perfect, but I press on [h]so that I may (AC)lay hold of that [i]for which also I (AD)was laid hold of by (AE)Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: (AF)forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I (AG)press on toward the goal for the prize of the (AH)upward call of God in (AI)Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are [j](AJ)perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a (AK)different attitude, (AL)God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep [k](AM)living by that same standard to which we have attained.

17 Brethren, (AN)join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the (AO)pattern you have in us. 18 For (AP)many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even (AQ)weeping, that they are enemies of (AR)the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their [l](AS)appetite, and whose (AT)glory is in their shame, who (AU)set their minds on earthly things. 20 For (AV)our [m]citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly (AW)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will (AX)transform [n]the body of our humble state into (AY)conformity with [o]the (AZ)body of His glory, (BA)by the exertion of the power that He has even to (BB)subject all things to Himself.

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:2 Lit mutilation; Gr katatome
  2. Philippians 3:3 Gr peritome
  3. Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
  4. Philippians 3:8 Lit the knowledge of
  5. Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
  6. Philippians 3:10 Or participation in
  7. Philippians 3:11 Lit if somehow
  8. Philippians 3:12 Lit if I may even
  9. Philippians 3:12 Or because also
  10. Philippians 3:15 Or mature
  11. Philippians 3:16 Lit following in line
  12. Philippians 3:19 Lit belly
  13. Philippians 3:20 Lit commonwealth
  14. Philippians 3:21 Or our lowly body
  15. Philippians 3:21 Or His glorious body