Psalm 26

Of David.

Abner Goes Over to David

⁶ During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner^(A) had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. ⁷ Now Saul had had a concubine^(B) named Rizpah^(C) daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

⁸ Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head^(D)—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! ⁹ May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised^(E) him on oath ¹⁰ and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”^{(F) 11} Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

¹² Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”

¹³ “Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.”^{(G) 14} Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal,^(H) whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

¹⁵ So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband^(I) Paltiel^(J) son of Laish. ¹⁶ Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.^(K) Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.

¹⁷ Abner conferred with the elders^(L) of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸ Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines^(M) and from the hand of all their enemies.^(N)’”

¹⁹ Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin^(O) wanted to do. ²⁰ When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast^(P) for him and his men. ²¹ Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant^(Q) with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”^(R) So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(A) and Galatia,^(B) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.^{(C) 7} When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(D) would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^{(E) 9} During the night Paul had a vision^(F) of a man of Macedonia^(G) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we^(H) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(I) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

¹¹ From Troas^(J) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,^(K) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(L) And we stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(M) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(N) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(O) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(P) were baptized,^(Q) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(A)(B)

³⁰ The apostles^(C) gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.^{(D) 31} Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat,^(E) he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat^(F) to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.^(G) So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. ³⁶ Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷ But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”^(H)

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages^[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”^(I)

³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.^(J) Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³ and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(K)(L)

⁴⁵ Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat^(M) and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida,^(N) while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.^(O)