Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

18 Unto the end. A psalm for David.

² The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

³ Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

⁴ There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

⁵ Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

⁶ He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber, Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way:

31 And the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gelboe.

² And the Philistines fell upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and Melchisua the sons of Saul.

³ And the whole weight of the battle was turned upon Saul: and the archers overtook him, and he was grievously wounded by the archers.

⁴ Then Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and slay me, and mock at me. And his armourbearer would not: for he was struck with exceeding great fear. Then Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

⁵ And when his armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.

⁶ So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men that same day together.

⁷ And the men of Israel, that were beyond the valley, and beyond the Jordan, seeing that the Israelites were fled, and that Saul was dead, and his sons, forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came, and dwelt there.

⁸ And on the morrow the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying in mount Gelboe.

⁹ And they cut off Saul's head, and stripped him of his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the temples of their idols, and among their people.

¹⁰ And they put his armour in the temple of Astaroth, but his body they hung on the wall of Bethsan.

¹¹ Now when the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad had heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹² All the most valiant men arose, and walked all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Bethsan: and they came to Jabes Galaad, and burnt them there:

¹³ And they took their bones and buried them in the wood of Jabes: and fasted seven days.

9 For concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.

² For I know your forward mind: for which I boast of you to the Macedonians. That Achaia also is ready from the year past, and your emulation hath provoked very many.

³ Now I have sent the brethren, that the thing which we boast of concerning you, be not made void in this behalf, that (as I have said) you may be ready:

⁴ Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter.

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to desire the brethren that they would go to you before, and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready, so as a blessing, not as covetousness.