He Is Risen^(A)

16 Now ^(B)when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome ^(C)bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ^2 (D)Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. ^5 (E)And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

^6 (F)But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going ^[a]before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, ^(G)as He said to you.”

⁸ So they went out ^[b]quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. ^(H)And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord^(I)

^9 [c]Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, ^(J)out of whom He had cast seven demons. ^10 (K)She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. ^11 (L)And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples^(M)

¹² After that, He appeared in another form ^(N)to two of them as they walked and went into the country. ¹³ And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

The Great Commission^(O)

^14 (P)Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. ^15 (Q)And He said to them, “Go into all the world ^(R)and preach the gospel to every creature. ^16 (S)He who believes and is baptized will be saved; ^(T)but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these ^(U)signs will follow those who ^[d]believe: ^(V)In My name they will cast out demons; ^(W)they will speak with new tongues; ^18 (X)they^[e] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; ^(Y)they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand^(Z)

¹⁹ So then, ^(AA)after the Lord had spoken to them, He was ^(AB)received up into heaven, and ^(AC)sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them ^(AD)and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Bear and Share Burdens

6 Brethren, if a man is ^[a]overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of ^(A)gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ^2 (B)Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill ^(C)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(D)if anyone thinks himself to be something, when ^(E)he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But ^(F)let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and ^(G)not in another. ⁵ For ^(H)each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good

^6 (I)Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for ^(J)whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap ^(K)everlasting life. ⁹ And ^(L)let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap ^(M)if we do not lose heart. ^10 (N)Therefore, as we have opportunity, ^(O)let us do good to all, ^(P)especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Glory Only in the Cross

¹¹ See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! ¹² As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, ^(Q)only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But God forbid that I should boast except in the ^(R)cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by ^[b]whom the world has been crucified to me, and ^(S)I to the world. ¹⁵ For ^(T)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Blessing and a Plea

¹⁶ And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁸ Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

David’s Last Words

23 Now these are the last words of David.

David’s Mighty Men^(H)

⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: ^[b]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among ^[c]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. ⁹ And after him was ^(I)Eleazar the son of ^[d]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. ¹⁰ He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was ^(J)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to ^(K)plunder. ¹¹ And after him was ^(L)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. ^(M)The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. ¹² But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ Then ^(N)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at ^(O)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in ^(P)the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then in ^(Q)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁶ So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁷ And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not ^(R)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

¹⁸ Now ^(S)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of ^[e]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. ¹⁹ Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

²⁰ Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from ^(T)Kabzeel, ^[f]who had done many deeds. ^(U)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. ²¹ And he killed an Egyptian, ^[g]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²² These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. ²³ He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him ^(V)over his guard.

^24 (W)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^25 (X)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ²⁶ Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ²⁷ Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ²⁹ Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, ³⁰ Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of ^(Y)Gaash, ³¹ Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ³² Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, ^33 (Z)Shammah the ^[h]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, ³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of ^(AA)Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^35 [i]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan of ^(AB)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), ^38 (AC)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ³⁹ and ^(AD)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

David’s Census of Israel and Judah^(AE)

24 Again ^(AF)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, ^(AG)“Go, ^[j]number Israel and Judah.”

² So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, ^(AH)from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that ^(AI)I may know the number of the people.”

³ And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God ^(AJ)add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” ⁴ Nevertheless the king’s word ^[k]prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

⁵ And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in ^(AK)Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward ^(AL)Jazer. ⁶ Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to ^(AM)Dan Jaan and around to ^(AN)Sidon; ⁷ and they came to the stronghold of ^(AO)Tyre and to all the cities of the ^(AP)Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. ⁸ So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ⁹ Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. ^(AQ)And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

The Judgment on David’s Sin^(AR)

¹⁰ And ^(AS)David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So ^(AT)David said to the Lord, ^(AU)“I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have ^(AV)done very foolishly.”

¹¹ Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet ^(AW)Gad, David’s ^(AX)seer, saying, ¹² “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” ¹³ So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall ^(AY)seven^[l] years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

¹⁴ And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, ^(AZ)for His mercies are great; but ^(BA)do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

¹⁵ So ^(BB)the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. ^16 (BC)And when the ^[m]angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, ^(BD)the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of ^[n]Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷ Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely ^(BE)I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”

The Altar on the Threshing Floor^(BF)

¹⁸ And Gad came that day to David and said to him, ^(BG)“Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” ¹⁹ So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. ²⁰ Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

²¹ Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

^(BH)And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that ^(BI)the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

²² Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. ^(BJ)Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. ²³ All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.”

And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God ^(BK)accept you.”

²⁴ Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So ^(BL)David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ²⁵ And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. ^(BM)So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and ^(BN)the plague was withdrawn from Israel.