Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for Mercy

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; ^Cperhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].

¹⁸ After David had [^Lfled and] escaped from Saul, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then David and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. ¹⁹ Saul heard that David was in Naioth at Ramah. ²⁰ So he sent ·messengers [agents; soldiers] to capture him. But they met a group of prophets ·prophesying [in a frenzy], with Samuel standing there ·leading [in charge of] them. So the Spirit of God ·entered [came upon] Saul’s men, and they also ·prophesied [fell into a frenzy].

²¹ When Saul heard the news, he sent more ·messengers [agents; soldiers], but they also ·prophesied [fell into a frenzy]. Then he sent ·messengers [agents; soldiers] a third time, but they also ·prophesied [fell into a frenzy]. ²² Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah, to the [large; great] well at Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

The people answered, “In Naioth at Ramah.”

²³ When Saul went to Naioth at Ramah, the Spirit of God also ·rushed upon [overwhelmed; seized; possessed] him. And he walked on, ·prophesying [in a frenzy,] until he came to Naioth at Ramah. ²⁴ He ·took [tore; stripped] off his ·robes [clothes] and prophesied in front of Samuel. He lay ·that way [^Lnaked] all day and all night. That is why people ask, “Is ·even [also] Saul one of the prophets?”

Paul’s Joy

² ·Open your hearts to [^LMake room for] us. We have not done wrong to anyone, we have not ·ruined the faith of [^Lruined; corrupted] anyone, and we have not ·cheated [exploited] anyone. ³ I do not say this to ·blame [condemn] you. [^LFor] I told you before that ·we love you so much [^Lyou are in our hearts so that] we would live or die with you. ⁴ I ·feel very sure of you [am very confident in you; or have spoken very boldy/frankly to you] and am very proud of you. You give me much ·comfort [encouragement], and in all of our ·troubles [trials; tribulation] I ·have great [overflow with] joy.

⁵ [^LFor] When we came into Macedonia [1:16], ·we [our body/flesh] had no rest [^CHere Paul picks up his account where he left off at 2:13]. We found ·trouble [trial; tribulation] all around us. We had ·fighting [battles; conflicts] on the outside and fear on the inside. ⁶ But God, who ·comforts [encourages] those who are ·troubled [downcast; discouraged], ·comforted [encouraged] us when Titus [2:13] came. ⁷ We were ·comforted [encouraged], not only by his ·coming [arrival; presence] but also by the comfort you gave him. Titus told us about your ·wish to see me [^Llonging] and ·that you are very sorry for what you did [^Lyour sorrow/mourning; ^Cregret for their treatment of Paul during his previous visit; 1:23; 2:1]. He also told me about your great ·care [or loyalty; ^Lzeal] for me, and when I heard this, I ·was much happier [rejoiced even more].

⁸ [^LFor] Even if my letter [^CPaul’s “severe” letter that he wrote after his painful visit; see 2:3–4, 9] made you ·sad [grieve], I am not sorry I wrote it. At first I was sorry, because it made you ·sad [grieve], but you ·were sad [grieved] only for a short time. ⁹ Now I ·am happy [rejoice], not because you were ·made sad [grieved], but because your sorrow ·made you change your lives [led to repentance]. You ·became sad [grieved] in the way God wanted you to, so you were not ·hurt by [or punished because of] us in any way [^Cthe Corinthians’ repentance prevented further sorrow as well as discipline from God]. ¹⁰ [^LFor] The kind of sorrow God wants makes people ·change their hearts and lives [repent], leading to salvation, and ·you cannot be sorry for that [or there can be no regret for that kind of sorrow; ^Lwithout regret]. But the kind of sorrow the world has ·brings [leads to; results in] death. ¹¹ [^LFor] See what this sorrow—the sorrow God wanted you to have—has ·done to [led to/produced in] you: It has made you very ·serious [eager; earnest; zealous]. It made you want to ·restore [vindicate; defend] yourselves. It made you ·angry [indignant] and afraid. It made you ·want to see me [long for reconciliation]. It made you ·care [zealous]. It made you want to ·do the right thing [see justice done]. In every way you have ·regained your innocence [or proved yourselves innocent]. ¹² I wrote that letter, not because of the one who did the wrong or because of the person who was ·hurt [wronged]. I wrote the letter so you could see, before God, the great ·care [eagerness; zeal] you have for us. ¹³ That is why we were ·comforted [encouraged].

Not only were we very ·comforted [encouraged], we ·were even happier [rejoiced even more] to see that Titus [2:13] was so ·happy [joyful], because all of you ·made him feel much better [^Lrefreshed his spirit]. ¹⁴ [^LFor] I ·bragged [boasted] to Titus about you, and ·you showed that I was right [^LI was not put to shame]. Everything we said to you was true, and you have proved that what we ·bragged [boasted] about to Titus is true. ¹⁵ And his ·love [affection; feeling] for you is ·stronger [greater still] when he remembers that you were all ready to obey. You ·welcomed [received] him with ·respect and fear [^Lfear and trembling]. ¹⁶ I ·am very happy [rejoice] that I can ·trust you fully [have complete confidence in you].