Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for Protection

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

David Wins Many Wars

8 Later, David defeated the Philistines, conquered them, and took the city of Metheg Ammah.

² He also defeated the people of Moab. He made them lie on the ground, and then he used a rope to measure them. Those who were measured within two rope lengths were killed, but those who were within the next rope length were allowed to live. So the people of Moab became servants of David and gave him the payment he demanded.

³ David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to take control again at the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

⁵ Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. ⁶ Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and gave him the payment he demanded. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

⁷ David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Berothai, which had been cities under Hadadezer’s control.

⁹ Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer. ¹⁰ So Toi sent his son Joram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Joram brought items made of silver, gold, and bronze. ¹¹ King David gave them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations he had defeated. ¹² These nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. David also gave the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ David was famous after he returned from defeating eighteen thousand Arameans in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He put groups of soldiers all over Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

¹⁵ David was king over all Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites.^[a] And David’s sons were priests.

The Elders from Ephesus

¹⁷ Now from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said, “You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia. You know the way I lived all the time I was with you. ¹⁹ The evil people made plans against me, which troubled me very much. But you know I always served the Lord unselfishly, and I often cried. ²⁰ You know I preached to you and did not hold back anything that would help you. You know that I taught you in public and in your homes. ²¹ I warned both Jews and Greeks to change their lives and turn to God and believe in our Lord Jesus. ²² But now I must obey the Holy Spirit and go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. ²³ I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me. ²⁴ I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.

²⁵ “And now, I know that none of you among whom I was preaching the kingdom of God will ever see me again. ²⁶ So today I tell you that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible, ²⁷ because I have told you everything God wants you to know. ²⁸ Be careful for yourselves and for all the people the Holy Spirit has given to you to oversee. You must be like shepherds to the church of God,^[a] which he bought with the death of his own son. ²⁹ I know that after I leave, some people will come like wild wolves and try to destroy the flock. ³⁰ Also, some from your own group will rise up and twist the truth and will lead away followers after them. ³¹ So be careful! Always remember that for three years, day and night, I never stopped warning each of you, and I often cried over you.

³² “Now I am putting you in the care of God and the message about his grace. It is able to give you strength, and it will give you the blessings God has for all his holy people. ³³ When I was with you, I never wanted anyone’s money or fine clothes. ³⁴ You know I always worked to take care of my own needs and the needs of those who were with me. ³⁵ I showed you in all things that you should work as I did and help the weak. I taught you to remember the words Jesus said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. ^37-38 And they all cried because Paul had said they would never see him again. They put their arms around him and kissed him. Then they went with him to the ship.