Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

11 Nahash^[a](A) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.^(B) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty^(C) with us, and we will be subject to you.”

² But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition^(D) that I gouge^(E) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace^(F) on all Israel.”

³ The elders^(G) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue^(H) us, we will surrender^(I) to you.”

⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah^(J) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept^(K) aloud. ⁵ Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.

⁶ When Saul heard their words, the Spirit^(L) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. ⁷ He took a pair of oxen,^(M) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,^(N) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone^(O) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.^{(P) 8} When Saul mustered^(Q) them at Bezek,^(R) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹ They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. ¹⁰ They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender^(S) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”

¹¹ The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;^(T) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites^(U) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Saul Confirmed as King

¹² The people then said to Samuel, “Who^(V) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”

¹³ But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,^(W) for this day the Lord has rescued^(X) Israel.”

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal^(Y) and there renew the kingship.^(Z)” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal^(AA) and made Saul king^(AB) in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free?^(A) Am I not an apostle?^(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?^(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?^{(D) 2} Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal^(E) of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. ⁴ Don’t we have the right to food and drink?^{(F) 5} Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife^(G) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers^(H) and Cephas^[a]?^{(I) 6} Or is it only I and Barnabas^(J) who lack the right to not work for a living?

⁷ Who serves as a soldier^(K) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard^(L) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[b](M) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^{(N) 10} Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(O) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^{(P) 11} If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?^{(Q) 12} If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.^(R) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder^(S) the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?^{(T) 14} In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.^(U)

¹⁵ But I have not used any of these rights.^(V) And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.^{(W) 16} For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.^(X) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;^(Y) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.^{(Z) 18} What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,^(AA) and so not make full use of my rights^(AB) as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

¹⁹ Though I am free^(AC) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,^(AD) to win as many as possible.^{(AE) 20} To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.^(AF) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),^(AG) so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law^(AH) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),^(AI) so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.^(AJ) I have become all things to all people^(AK) so that by all possible means I might save some.^{(AL) 23} I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?^(AM) Run^(AN) in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown^(AO) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.^{(AP) 26} Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;^(AQ) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.^{(AR) 27} No, I strike a blow to my body^(AS) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.^(AT)