Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 61
For the choir director; on a stringed instrument; by David.
1 Listen to my cry for help, O Elohim.
Pay attention to my prayer.
2 From the ends of the earth, I call to you
when I begin to lose heart.
Lead me to the rock that is high above me.
3 You have been my Machseh,
a Migdal-Oz against the enemy.
4 I would like to be a guest in your tent forever
and to take refuge under the protection of your wings. Selah
5 O Elohim, you have heard my vows.
You have given me the inheritance
that belongs to those who fear your name.
6 Add days upon days to the life of the king.
May his years endure throughout every generation.
7 May he sit enthroned in the presence of Elohim forever.
May mercy and truth protect him.
8 Then I will make music to praise your name forever,
as I keep my vows day after day.
David’s Successes(A)
8 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took control of the main Philistine city from them.[a]
2 He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes to him.
3 When David went to restore his control over the territory along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. 4 David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn’t pull chariots.
5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes to him. Everywhere David went, Yahweh gave him victories.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s[b] servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.
9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army, 10 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him. 11 King David dedicated these articles to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he conquered— 12 from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.
13 David made a name for himself by killing 18,000 Edomites[c] in the Dead Sea region as he returned to Jerusalem. 14 He put troops everywhere in Edom, and all the Edomites were David’s subjects. Everywhere David went, Yahweh gave him victories.
15 So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. 16 Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian. 17 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal scribe. 18 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.[d]
Paul Meets with the Spiritual Leaders from Ephesus
17 From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders[a] of the church to meet with him in Miletus. 18 When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19 I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me. 20 I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house. 21 I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Yeshua.
22 “I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. 24 But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Yeshua—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.[b]
25 “Now I know that none of you whom I told about the kingdom of God will see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the spiritual death of any of you. 27 I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. 28 Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops[c] to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. 29 I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. 30 Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them. 31 So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.
32 “I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.
33 “I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes. 34 You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. 35 I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak. We should remember the words that the Lord Yeshua said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. 37 Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. 38 The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.