Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the chief Musician. On Mahalath: an instruction. Of David.
53 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God! They have corrupted themselves, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2 God looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3 Every one of them is gone back, they are together become corrupt: there is none that doeth good, not even one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people [as] they eat bread? they call not upon God.
5 There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God scattereth the bones of him that encampeth against thee. Thou hast put [them] to shame, for God hath despised them.
6 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth again the captivity of his people, Jacob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoice.
23 And a garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
14 Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father.
2 And Saul abode at the extreme end of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which [was] in Migron; and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.
3 (And Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, wore the ephod.) And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.
4 Now between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one crag [formed] a pillar on the north opposite to Michmash, and the other on the south opposite to Geba.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: perhaps Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.
7 And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart; turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will shew ourselves to them.
9 If they say thus to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stay in our place, and will not go up to them.
10 And if they say thus, Come up to us, then we will go up; for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this shall be the sign to us.
11 And both of them shewed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you something. And Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour-bearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer wrought was about twenty men, as it were on the half-furrow of an acre of land.
15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the ravagers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked; for it was a trembling [from] God.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on slaying one another.
17 Then said Saul to the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone from us. And they mustered, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
19 And it came to pass while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hand.
20 And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great confusion.
21 And there were Hebrews with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp round about; and they also [turned] to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 And all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, and they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23 And Jehovah saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over beyond Beth-Aven.
11 See how long a letter I have written to you with my own hand.
12 As many as desire to have a fair appearance in [the] flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of Christ.
13 For neither do they that are circumcised themselves keep the law; but they wish you to be circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.
14 But far be it from me to boast save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom [the] world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
15 For [in Christ Jesus] neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision; but new creation.
16 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace upon them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17 For the rest let no one trouble me, for *I* bear in my body the brands of the Lord Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
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