Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

¹⁵ Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counseled this way. ¹⁶ Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, ‘Don’t lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.’”

¹⁷ Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and report to them, and they went and told King David; for they couldn’t risk being seen coming into the city. ¹⁸ But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there. ¹⁹ The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and spread out crushed grain on it; and nothing was known. ²⁰ Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.”

When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. ²¹ After they had departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.”

²² Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

²⁴ Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵ Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ When David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, ²⁸ brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain, ²⁹ honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

6 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else. ⁵ For each man will bear his own burden.

⁶ But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

⁷ Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹ Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.