Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Blessed Are the Forgiven
A Maskil[a] of David.
32 (A)Blessed is the one whose (B)transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord (C)counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit (D)there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my (E)bones wasted away
through my (F)groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your (G)hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I (H)acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I (I)will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is (J)godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you (K)may be found;
surely in the rush of (L)great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a (M)hiding place for me;
you preserve me from (N)trouble;
you surround me with (O)shouts of deliverance. Selah
Absalom Murders Amnon
23 After two full years Absalom had (A)sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon's (B)heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
30 While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left.” 31 Then the king arose and (C)tore his garments and (D)lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But (E)Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so (F)take it to heart as to suppose that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur
34 (G)But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him[a] by the side of the mountain. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king's sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.
37 (H)But Absalom fled and went to (I)Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of (J)Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 (K)So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king[b] longed to go out[c] to Absalom, because (L)he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.
Warning Against Worldliness
4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions[a] are (A)at war within you?[b] 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask (B)wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 (C)You adulterous people![c] Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? (D)Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit (E)that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But (F)he gives more grace. Therefore it says, (G)“God opposes the proud but (H)gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. (I)Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.