David’s Further Conquests^(A)

8 After this it came to pass that David ^[a]attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took ^[b]Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

² Then ^(B)he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s ^(C)servants, and ^(D)brought tribute.

³ David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of ^(E)Zobah, as he went to recover ^(F)his territory at the River Euphrates. ⁴ David took from him one thousand chariots, ^[c]seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David ^(G)hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

^5 (H)When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. ⁶ Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So ^(I)the Lord preserved David wherever he went. ⁷ And David took ^(J)the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ Also from ^[d]Betah and from ^(K)Berothai,^[e] cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

⁹ When ^[f]Toi king of ^(L)Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ then Toi sent ^[g]Joram his son to King David, to ^[h]greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. ¹¹ King David also ^(M)dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued— ¹² from ^[i]Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the ^(N)Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ And David made himself a ^(O)name when he returned from killing ^(P)eighteen thousand ^[j]Syrians in ^(Q)the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and ^(R)all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

David’s Administration^(S)

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. ^16 (T)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; ^(U)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ^17 (V)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; ^[k]Seraiah was the ^[l]scribe; ^18 (W)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the ^(X)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were ^[m]chief ministers.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may ^(Y)show him ^[n]kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

² And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was ^(Z)Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

He said, “At your service!”

³ Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show ^(AA)the kindness of God?”

And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is ^(AB)lame in his feet.”

⁴ So the king said to him, “Where is he?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of ^(AC)Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

⁵ Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

⁶ Now when ^(AD)Mephibosheth^[o] the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”

And he answered, “Here is your servant!”

⁷ So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

⁸ Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such ^(AE)a dead dog as I?”

⁹ And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, ^(AF)“I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. ¹⁰ You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son ^(AG)shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had ^(AH)fifteen sons and twenty servants.

¹¹ Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.”

“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at ^[p]my table like one of the king’s sons.” ¹² Mephibosheth had a young son ^(AI)whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. ¹³ So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, ^(AJ)for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he ^(AK)was lame in both his feet.

Sister Phoebe Commended

16 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in ^(A)Cenchrea, ^2 (B)that you may receive her in the Lord ^(C)in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greeting Roman Saints

³ Greet ^(D)Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet ^(E)the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is ^(F)the firstfruits of ^[a]Achaia to Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who labored much for us. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the ^(G)apostles, who also ^(H)were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my ^[b]countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus, ^(I)chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

^16 (J)Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^[c]The churches of Christ greet you.

Avoid Divisive Persons

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those ^(K)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and ^(L)avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord ^[d]Jesus Christ, but ^(M)their own belly, and ^(N)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. ¹⁹ For ^(O)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be ^(P)wise in what is good, and ^[e]simple concerning evil. ²⁰ And ^(Q)the God of peace ^(R)will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

^(S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Greetings from Paul’s Friends

^21 (T)Timothy, my fellow worker, and ^(U)Lucius, ^(V)Jason, and ^(W)Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.

²² I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

^23 (X)Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. ^(Y)Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. ^24 (Z)The^[f] grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Benediction

^25 [g]Now ^(AA)to Him who is able to establish you ^(AB)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, ^(AC)according to the revelation of the mystery ^(AD)kept secret since the world began ²⁶ but ^(AE)now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for ^(AF)obedience to the faith— ²⁷ to ^(AG)God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.