Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

For the director of music. A psalm of David to be played on stringed instruments.

David Wins Many Battles

8 While David was king of Israel, he won many battles over the Philistines. He brought them under his control. He took Metheg Ammah away from them.

² David also won the battle over the people of Moab. He made them lie down on the ground. Then he measured them off with a piece of rope. He put two-thirds of them to death. He let the other third remain alive. So the Moabites were brought under David’s rule. They gave him the gifts he required them to bring him.

³ David fought against Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah. He had gone to repair his monument at the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 of Hadadezer’s chariots, 7,000 chariot riders and 20,000 soldiers on foot. He cut the legs of all but 100 of the chariot horses.

⁵ The Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. But David struck down 22,000 of them. ⁶ He stationed some soldiers in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. The people of Aram were brought under his rule. They gave him the gifts he required them to bring him. The Lord helped David win his battles everywhere he went.

⁷ David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer. He brought the shields to Jerusalem. ⁸ He took a huge amount of bronze from Tebah and Berothai. Those towns belonged to Hadadezer.

⁹ Tou was king of Hamath. He heard that David had won the battle over the entire army of Hadadezer. ¹⁰ So Tou sent his son Joram to King David. Joram greeted David. He praised David because he had won the battle over Hadadezer. Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. So Joram brought with him gifts made out of silver, of gold and of bronze.

¹¹ King David set those gifts apart for the Lord. He had done the same thing with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations. Those were nations he had brought under his control. ¹² Those nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia and Amalek. He also set apart for the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah.

¹³ David returned after he had struck down 18,000 men of Edom in the Valley of Salt. He became famous for doing it.

¹⁴ He stationed some soldiers all through Edom. The whole nation of Edom was brought under David’s rule. The Lord helped him win his battles everywhere he went.

David’s Officials

¹⁵ David ruled over the whole nation of Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, kept the records. ¹⁷ Zadok, the son of Ahitub, was a priest. Ahimelek, the son of Abiathar, was also a priest. Seraiah was the secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.

¹⁷ From Miletus, Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he spoke to them. “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,” he said. “From the first day I came into Asia Minor, ¹⁹ I served the Lord with tears and without pride. I served him when I was greatly tested. I was tested by the evil plans of the Jews who disagreed with me. ²⁰ You know that nothing has kept me from preaching whatever would help you. I have taught you in public and from house to house. ²¹ I have told both Jews and Greeks that they must turn away from their sins to God. They must have faith in our Lord Jesus.

²² “Now I am going to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit compels me. I don’t know what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Spirit warns me. He tells me that I will face prison and suffering. ²⁴ But my life means nothing to me. My only goal is to finish the race. I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me. He wants me to tell others about the good news of God’s grace.

²⁵ “I have spent time with you preaching about the kingdom. I know that none of you will ever see me again. ²⁶ So I tell you today that I am not guilty if any of you don’t believe. ²⁷ I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do. ²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves. Keep watch over all the believers. The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over them. Be shepherds of God’s church. He bought it with his own blood. ²⁹ I know that after I leave, wild wolves will come in among you. They won’t spare any of the sheep. ³⁰ Even men from your own people will rise up and twist the truth. They want to get the believers to follow them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning you. Night and day I warned each of you with tears.

³² “Now I trust God to take care of you. I commit you to the message about his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people. ³³ I haven’t longed for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴ You yourselves know that I have used my own hands to meet my needs. I have also met the needs of my companions. ³⁵ In everything I did, I showed you that we must work hard and help the weak. We must remember the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ Paul finished speaking. Then he got down on his knees with all of them and prayed. ³⁷ They all wept as they hugged and kissed him. ³⁸ Paul had said that they would never see him again. That’s what hurt them the most. Then they went with him to the ship.