How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.

Abram Rescues Lot

14 In the days of Amraphel king of ^(A)Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of ^(B)Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, ² these kings made war with ^(C)Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of ^(D)Admah, Shemeber king of ^(E)Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³ And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (^(F)that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴ Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the ^(G)Rephaim in ^(H)Ashteroth-karnaim, the ^(I)Zuzim in Ham, the ^(J)Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶ and the ^(K)Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as ^(L)El-paran on the border of the wilderness. ⁷ Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, ^(M)Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling ^(N)in Hazazon-tamar.

⁸ Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹ with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. ¹⁰ Now the Valley of Siddim was full of ^(O)bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled ^(P)to the hill country. ¹¹ So the enemy took ^(Q)all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. ¹² They also took Lot, ^(R)the son of Abram's brother, ^(S)who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

¹³ Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, ^(T)who was living by the ^(U)oaks^[a] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. ¹⁴ When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, ^(V)born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as ^(W)Dan. ¹⁵ And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. ¹⁶ Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot ^(X)with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

¹⁷ After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the ^(Y)King's Valley). ¹⁸ And ^(Z)Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was ^(AA)priest of ^(AB)God Most High.) ¹⁹ And he blessed him and said,

And Abram gave him ^(AE)a tenth of everything. ²¹ And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” ²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ^(AF)“I have lifted my hand^[c] to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that ^(AG)I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ ²⁴ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let ^(AH)Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

^7 (A)And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— ⁹ but to ^(B)wear sandals and not put on two tunics.^{[a] 10} And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹ And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, ^(C)shake off the dust that is on your feet ^(D)as a testimony against them.” ^12 (E)So they went out and ^(F)proclaimed ^(G)that people should repent. ^13 (H)And they cast out many demons and ^(I)anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

The Death of John the Baptist

^14 (J)King Herod heard of it, for Jesus'^[b] name had become known. Some^[c] said, ^(K)“John the Baptist^[d] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ^15 (L)But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is ^(M)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” ^17 (N)For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and ^(O)bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. ^18 (P)For John had been saying to Herod, ^(Q)“It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” ¹⁹ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, ²⁰ for Herod ^(R)feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he ^(S)heard him gladly.

²¹ But an opportunity came when Herod ^(T)on his birthday ^(U)gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^(V)up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's^[e] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his ^(W)disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.