Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A psalm of David when he was with Abimelek and pretended to be out of his mind. Abimelek drove him away, and David left.

²⁰ Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground. What Samuel had said filled Saul with fear. His strength was gone. He hadn’t eaten anything all that day and all that night.

²¹ The woman went over to Saul because she saw that he was very upset. She said, “Look, I’ve obeyed you. I put my own life in danger by doing what you told me to do. ²² So please listen to me. Let me give you some food. Eat it. Then you will have the strength to go on your way.”

²³ But he refused. He said, “I don’t want anything to eat.”

Then his men joined the woman in begging him to eat. Finally, he paid attention to them. He got up from the ground and sat on a couch.

²⁴ The woman had a fat calf at her house. She killed it at once. She got some flour. She mixed it and baked some bread that didn’t have any yeast in it. ²⁵ Then she set the food in front of Saul and his men. They ate it. That same night they got up and left.

15 We who have strong faith should help the weak with their problems. We should not please only ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors. Let us do what is good for them in order to build them up. ³ Even Christ did not please himself. It is written, “The bad things people have said about you have been aimed at me also.” (Psalm 69:9) ⁴ Everything written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us strength to go on. They encourage us and give us hope.

⁵ Our God is a God who strengthens and encourages you. May he give you the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Then you can give glory to God with one mind and voice. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.