Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Confidence in God’s Protection.

To the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

David’s Triumphs

8 Now it came about after this that David defeated the Philistines and subdued (humbled) them, and he took control of Metheg-ammah [the main city] from the hand of the Philistines.

² He defeated ^[a]Moab, and ^[b]measured them with a length of rope, making them lie down on the ground; he measured two lengths to [choose those to] put to death, and one full length to [choose those to] be kept alive. And the [surviving] Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.

³ Then David defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of ^[c]Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the River [Euphrates]. ⁴ David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. David also hamstrung all the chariot horses (making them lame), but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots. ⁵ When the Arameans (Syrians) of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Arameans. ⁶ Then David put garrisons among the Arameans in Damascus, and the Arameans became his servants and brought tribute. The Lord helped David wherever he went. ⁷ David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ And from Betah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took an immense quantity of bronze.

⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard about David’s defeat of all the forces of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ Toi sent ^[d]Joram his son to King David to ^[e]greet and congratulate him for his battle and defeat of Hadadezer; for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze [as gifts]. ¹¹ King David also dedicated these [gifts] to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he subdued: ¹² from Aram (Syria), Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ So David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 ^[f]Arameans (Syrians) in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He put garrisons in Edom; in all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the Lord helped him wherever he went.

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel, and continued to administer justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab the son of Zeruiah was [commander] over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder (secretary); ¹⁷ Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the [chief] priests, and Seraiah was the scribe; ¹⁸ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was [head] over both the Cherethites and Pelethites [the king’s bodyguards]; and David’s sons were ^[g]chief [confidential] advisers (officials) [to the king].^(A)

Farewell to Ephesus

¹⁷ However, from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to meet him there]. ¹⁸ And when they arrived he said to them:

“You know well how I [lived when I] was with you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia [until now], ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came on me because of the plots of the Jews [against me]; ²⁰ [you know] how I did not shrink back in fear from telling you anything that was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public meetings, and from house to house, ²¹ solemnly [and wholeheartedly] testifying to both Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God and [to have] faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [for salvation]. ²² And now, compelled by the Spirit and obligated by my convictions, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. ²⁴ But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

²⁵ “And now, listen carefully: I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, ^[a]will see me again. ²⁶ For that reason I testify to you on this [our parting] day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. ²⁷ For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan of God. ²⁸ Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. ²⁹ I know that after I am gone, [false teachers like] ferocious wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse and distorted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves [as their followers]. ³¹ Therefore be continually alert, remembering that for three years, night or day, I did not stop admonishing and advising each one [of you] with tears. ³² And now I commend you to God [placing you in His protective, loving care] and [I commend you] to the word of His grace [the counsel and promises of His unmerited favor]. His grace is able to build you up and to give you the [rightful] inheritance among all those who are sanctified [that is, among those who are set apart for God’s purpose—all believers]. ³³ I had no desire for anyone’s silver or gold or [expensive] clothes. ³⁴ You know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs [working in manual labor] and to [those of] the people who were with me. ³⁵ In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And ^[b]they began to weep openly and threw their arms around Paul’s neck, and repeatedly kissed him, ³⁸ grieving and distressed especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see him again. And they accompanied him to the ship.