Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 61
For the music leader, with stringed instruments. Of David.
61 God, listen to my cry;
pay attention to my prayer!
2 When my heart is weak,
I cry out to you from the very ends of the earth.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I am
3 because you have been my refuge,
a tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
4 Please let me live in your tent forever!
Please let me take refuge
in the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 Because you, God, have heard my promises;
you’ve given me[a] the same possession
as those who honor your name.
6 Add days to the king’s life!
Let his years extend for many generations!
7 Let him be enthroned forever before God!
Make it so love and faithfulness watch over him!
8 Then I will sing praises to your name forever,
and I will do what I promised every single day.
David’s wars
8 Some time later, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David captured Metheg-ammah from Philistine control.
2 David also defeated the Moabites and made them lie on the ground, measuring them with a rope. He measured two rope lengths for those who were to be killed and one rope length for those who were to be spared. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought him tribute.
3 Next David defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son, as Hadadezer was on his way to put[a] his monument along the Euphrates River.[b] 4 David captured one thousand chariots, seven hundred charioteers,[c] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He cut the hamstrings of all but one hundred of the chariot horses. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Zobah’s King Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 David set up forts among the Arameans of Damascus. And the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought him tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. 7 David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took a large amount of bronze from Tebah[d] and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer.
9 When Hamath’s King Toi heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to wish him well and congratulate him on his battle and defeat of Hadadezer, because Toi was an enemy of Hadadezer. Joram brought silver, gold, and bronze objects with him. 11 King David dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations that he had subdued: 12 Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, including the plunder of Zobah’s King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son.
13 So David made a name for himself.[e] When he returned, he killed eighteen thousand Edomites[f] in the Salt Valley. 14 He set up forts in Edom,[g] and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
David’s administration
15 David ruled over all Israel and maintained justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 Zeruiah’s son Joab was in command of the army; Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was recorder; 17 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Ahimelech’s son[h] Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was in command of[i] the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus calling for the church’s elders to meet him. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I lived among you the whole time I was with you, beginning with the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears in the midst of trials that came upon me because of the Jews’ schemes. 20 You know I held back nothing that would be helpful so that I could proclaim to you and teach you both publicly and privately in your homes. 21 You know I have testified to both Jews and Greeks that they must change their hearts and lives as they turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 Now, compelled by the Spirit, I’m going to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 What I do know is that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that prisons and troubles await me. 24 But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace.
25 “I know that none of you will see me again—you among whom I traveled and proclaimed the kingdom. 26 Therefore, today I testify to you that I’m not responsible for anyone’s fate. 27 I haven’t avoided proclaiming the entire plan of God to you. 28 Watch yourselves and the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as supervisors, to shepherd God’s church, which he obtained with the death of his own Son.[a] 29 I know that, after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and won’t spare the flock. 30 Some of your own people will distort the word in order to lure followers after them. 31 Stay alert! Remember that for three years I constantly and tearfully warned each one of you. I never stopped warning you! 32 Now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all whom God has made holy. 33 I haven’t craved anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I have provided for my own needs and for those of my companions with my own hands. 35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them to pray. 37 They cried uncontrollably as everyone embraced and kissed Paul. 38 They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible