Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
61 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For Thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in Thy tabernacle for ever; I will trust in the refuge of Thy wings. Selah
5 For Thou, O God, hast heard my vows; Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name.
6 Thou wilt prolong the king’s life, and his years shall be as many generations.
7 He shall abide before God for ever; O prepare mercy and truth, that they may preserve him.
8 So will I sing praise unto Thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
8 And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines and subdued them; and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground: even with two lines measured he those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants and brought gifts.
3 David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the River Euphrates.
4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots.
5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took exceeding much brass.
9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
10 then Toi sent Joram his son unto King David to salute him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver and vessels of gold and vessels of brass,
11 which also King David dedicated unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued:
12 of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, being eighteen thousand men.
14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all those of Edom became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.
17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called for the elders of the church.
18 And when they had come to him, he said unto them, “Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, in what manner I have been with you in all seasons,
19 serving the Lord in all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations which befell me through the lying in wait of the Jews;
20 and how I kept back nothing that was profitable for you, but have shown you and have taught you publicly and from house to house,
21 testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 And now behold, bound by the Spirit, I go unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there,
23 save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.
25 “And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Therefore I attest to you this day that I am pure from the blood of all men,
27 for I have not shrunk from declaring unto you all the counsel of God.
28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood.
29 For I know this: that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember that for the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.
32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no man’s silver or gold or apparel.
34 Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my own necessities, and also to those who were with me.
35 I have shown you all things, how that by so laboring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.
37 And they all wept sorely and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
38 sorrowing most of all because of the words which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
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