Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit^(A)

^21 (B)Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the ^(C)synagogue and taught. ^22 (D)And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

²³ Now there was a man in their synagogue with an ^(E)unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴ saying, “Let us alone! ^(F)What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I ^(G)know who You are—the ^(H)Holy One of God!”

²⁵ But Jesus ^(I)rebuked him, saying, ^[a]“Be quiet, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And when the unclean spirit ^(J)had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. ²⁷ Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ^[b]“What is this? What new ^[c]doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” ²⁸ And immediately His ^(K)fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed^(L)

^29 (M)Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. ³¹ So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset^(N)

^32 (O)At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and ^(P)cast out many demons; and He ^(Q)did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Preaching in Galilee^(R)

³⁵ Now ^(S)in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a ^[d]solitary place; and there He ^(T)prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. ³⁷ When they found Him, they said to Him, ^(U)“Everyone ^(V)is looking for You.”

³⁸ But He said to them, ^(W)“Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because ^(X)for this purpose I have come forth.”

^39 (Y)And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and ^(Z)casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper^(AA)

^40 (AB)Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus, moved with ^(AC)compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² As soon as He had spoken, ^(AD)immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. ⁴³ And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things ^(AE)which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

^45 (AF)However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; ^(AG)and they came to Him from every direction.

Sons of David

² Sons were born ^(A)to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon ^(B)by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³ his second, ^[a]Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, ^(C)Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king ^(D)of Geshur; ⁴ the fourth, ^(E)Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵ and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David

⁶ Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

⁷ And Saul had a concubine, whose name was ^(F)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you ^(G)gone in to my father’s concubine?”

⁸ Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I ^(H)a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? ^9 (I)May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David ^(J)as the Lord has sworn to him— ¹⁰ to transfer the kingdom from the ^[b]house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^(K)from Dan to Beersheba.” ¹¹ And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹² Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”

¹³ And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: ^(L)you shall not see my face unless you first bring ^(M)Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” ¹⁴ So David sent messengers to ^(N)Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself ^(O)for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵ And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from ^[c]Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶ Then her husband went along with her to ^(P)Bahurim, ^[d]weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.

¹⁷ Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. ¹⁸ Now then, do it! ^(Q)For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, ^[e]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” ¹⁹ And Abner also spoke in the hearing of ^(R)Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰ So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹ Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and ^(S)gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may ^(T)reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²² At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much ^[f]spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” ²⁴ Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? ²⁵ Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know ^(U)your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

²⁶ And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷ Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab ^(V)took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there ^[g]stabbed him ^(W)in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of ^(X)Asahel his brother.

²⁸ Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are ^[h]guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ^29 (Y)Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the ^[i]house of Joab one ^(Z)who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” ³⁰ So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother ^(AA)Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David’s Mourning for Abner

³¹ Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ^(AB)“Tear your clothes, ^(AC)gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. ³² So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³ And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:

Then all the people wept over him again.

³⁵ And when all the people came ^(AE)to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, ^(AF)“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ^(AG)till the sun goes down!” ³⁶ Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷ For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸ Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹ And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, ^(AH)are too harsh for me. ^(AI)The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; ^(A)and his spirit was so troubled that ^(B)his sleep left him. ^2 (C)Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. ³ And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to ^[a]know the dream.”

⁴ Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, ^(D)“O^[b] king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

⁵ The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My ^[c]decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be ^(E)cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. ^6 (F)However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

⁷ They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

⁸ The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: ⁹ if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the ^[d]time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can ^[e]give me its interpretation.”

¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. ¹¹ It is a ^[f]difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king ^(G)except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

¹² For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³ So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought ^(H)Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

¹⁴ Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵ he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so ^[g]urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.

¹⁶ So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. ¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, ^18 (I)that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then the secret was revealed to Daniel ^(J)in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

²⁰ Daniel answered and said: