Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.

8 After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines. ² He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

³ David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River. ⁴ David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots. ⁵ When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians. ⁶ Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷ David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ then Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. ¹¹ King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued— ¹² of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, ¹⁷ Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe, ¹⁸ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly. ¹⁸ When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.^{[a] 22} Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. ²⁴ But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

²⁵ “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, ²⁷ for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and^[b] God which he purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. ³² Now, brothers,^[c] I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³ I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, ³⁸ sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.