Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

40 The Lord said to Job:^(A)

³ Then Job answered the Lord:

⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:^(I)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(A) where we preached the word of the Lord^(B) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(C) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(D) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas^(E) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^{(F) 41} He went through Syria^(G) and Cilicia,^(H) strengthening the churches.^(I)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(J) where a disciple named Timothy^(K) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(L) but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers^(M) at Lystra and Iconium^(N) spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^{(O) 4} As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(P) in Jerusalem^(Q) for the people to obey.^{(R) 5} So the churches were strengthened^(S) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(T)

⁵⁵ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,^(A) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing^(B) before the Passover. ⁵⁶ They kept looking for Jesus,^(C) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” ⁵⁷ But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(D)

12 Six days before the Passover,^(E) Jesus came to Bethany,^(F) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(G) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(H) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(I) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(J) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(K) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(L) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](M) but you will not always have me.”