Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

^[a] A song of David when he pretended to be crazy so that Abimelech would send him away, which he did.

²⁰ Saul quickly fell to the ground and lay stretched out there. Saul was afraid because of what Samuel said. Saul was also very weak because he had not eaten any food all that day and night.

²¹ The woman came over to Saul and saw how afraid he was. She said, “Look, I am your servant. I have obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do. ²² Please, listen to me. You need to eat. Let me get you some food. Then you will have enough strength to go on your way.”

²³ But Saul refused. He said, “I won’t eat.”

Saul’s officers joined the woman and begged him to eat. Finally, Saul listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed. ²⁴ The woman had a calf that she had been fattening. She quickly killed the calf. She took some flour and pressed it with her hands. Then she baked some bread without yeast. ²⁵ The woman put the food before Saul and his officers and they ate. Then they got up and left during the night.

15 Some of us have no problem with these things. So we should be patient with those who are not so strong and have doubts. We should not do what pleases us ² but do what pleases them and is for their good. We should do whatever helps everyone grow stronger in faith. ³ Even Christ did not live trying to please himself. As the Scriptures say about him, “Those people who insulted you have also insulted me.”^{[a] 4} Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Those things were written so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us. ⁵ All patience and encouragement come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree with each other, as Christ Jesus wants. ⁶ Then you will all be joined together. And all together you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.