Old/New Testament
David and Goliath
17 The Philistines ·gathered [assembled; mustered] their armies for ·war [battle]. They ·met [gathered; assembled; mustered] at Socoh in Judah and camped at Ephes Dammim between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites ·gathered [assembled; mustered] in the Valley of Elah and camped there and ·took their positions [drew up their battle line] to fight the Philistines. 3 The Philistines ·controlled [occupied; stood on] one hill while the Israelites ·controlled [occupied; stood on] another. The valley was between them.
4 The Philistines had a champion fighter from Gath named Goliath. He was ·about nine feet, four inches tall [L six cubits and a span].[a] He came out of the Philistine camp 5 with a bronze helmet on his head and a coat of bronze ·armor [mail; scale-armor] that weighed ·about one hundred twenty-five pounds [L five thousand shekels]. 6 He wore bronze ·protectors [greaves] on his legs, and he had a bronze spear ·on his back [across his shoulders]. 7 The wooden part of his larger spear was like a weaver’s ·rod [beam], and its ·blade [head] weighed ·about fifteen pounds [L six hundred shekels of iron]. The ·officer who carried his shield [shield bearer] walked in front of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ·Israelite soldiers [L ranks of Israel], “Why have you ·taken positions [lined up] for battle? ·I am [L Am I not…?] a Philistine, and you are Saul’s servants! Choose a man and send him to fight me. 9 If he can fight and kill me, we will be your ·servants [slaves]. But if I can kill him, you will be our ·servants [slaves] [L and serve us].” 10 Then he said, “Today I stand and ·dare [defy; challenge] the ·army [ranks] of Israel! ·Send one of your men [L Give me a man] to fight me!” 11 When Saul and the Israelites heard the Philistine’s words, they were ·very scared [dismayed and terrified].
12 Now David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul’s time Jesse was an old man [16:1–13]. 13 His three oldest sons followed Saul to the war. The ·first [L firstborn] son was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. Jesse’s three oldest sons ·followed [remained with] Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to Bethlehem, where he took care of his father’s sheep.
16 For forty days the Philistine came out every morning and evening and ·stood before the Israelite army [L took his stand].
17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take [L quickly] this ·half bushel [L epah] of ·cooked [roasted] grain and ten loaves of bread to your brothers in the camp. 18 Also take ten ·pieces [cuts] of cheese to the commander [L of thousands]. See how your brothers are and bring back some ·proof to show me that they are all right [news/token/assurance of them]. 19 They are with Saul and the Israelite army in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20 Early in the morning David left the sheep with ·another shepherd [L a keeper]. He took the food and left as Jesse had ·told [directed; ordered] him. When David arrived at the camp, the army was going out to their battle positions, shouting their war cry. 21 The Israelites and Philistines were lining up their men ·to face each other in battle [army against army].
22 David left ·the food [his baggage/bundle/things] with the man who kept the supplies and ran to the battle line to ·talk to [greet; L inquire about the welfare of] his brothers. 23 While he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out [L from the Philistine ranks]. He shouted things against Israel as usual, and David heard him. 24 When the Israelites saw Goliath, they were very much afraid and ·ran away [fled].
25 They said, “·Look at [L Have you seen…?] this man! He keeps coming out to ·challenge [defy] Israel. The king will give ·much money [a great reward; great wealth] to whoever kills him. He will also let whoever kills him marry his daughter. And his father’s family will ·not have to pay taxes [be made free] in Israel.”
26 David asked the men who stood near him, “What will be done to reward the man who kills this Philistine and takes away ·the shame [this disgrace/reproach] from Israel? Who does this ·uncircumcised [pagan] Philistine think he is? Does he think he can ·speak against [taunt; defy; challenge] the armies of the living God?”
27 The Israelites told David what would be done for the man who would kill Goliath.
28 When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard David talking with the ·soldiers [men], ·he was angry with [L his anger burned against] David. He asked David, “Why did you come here? Who’s taking care of those few sheep of yours in the ·desert [wilderness]? I know you are ·proud [insolent; impudent] and ·wicked at heart [deceitful]. You came down here just to watch the battle.”
29 David asked, “Now what have I done wrong? Can’t I even ·talk [ask a question]?” 30 When he turned [away] to other people and asked the same questions, they gave him the same answer as before. 31 ·Yet [Then] what David said was told to Saul, and he sent for David.
32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone ·be discouraged [lose heart because of him]. I, your servant, will go and fight this Philistine!”
33 Saul answered, “You can’t go out against this Philistine and fight him. You’re only a ·boy [youth]. Goliath has been a warrior since ·he was a young man [his youth].”
34 But David said to Saul, “I, your servant, have been keeping my father’s sheep. When a lion or bear came and ·took [carried off; stole] a ·sheep [lamb] from the flock, 35 I would chase it. I would ·attack [L strike] it and ·save [rescue] the sheep from its ·mouth [jaws]. ·When [If] it ·attacked [turned on] me, I caught it by its ·fur [or jaw] and hit [L struck] it and killed it. 36 I, your servant, have ·killed [L struck] both ·a [the] lion and ·a [the] bear! This ·uncircumcised [pagan] Philistine will be like them, because he has ·spoken against [taunted; defied; challenged] the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who ·saved [rescued; delivered] me from a lion and a bear will ·save [rescue; deliver] me from this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38 Saul put his own ·clothes [tunic] on David. He put a bronze helmet on his head and dressed him in ·armor [mail; a breastplate]. 39 David put on Saul’s sword [L over it] and tried to walk around, but he was not used to all the armor Saul had put on him.
He said to Saul, “I can’t go in this, because I’m not used to ·it [them].” Then David took it all off. 40 He took his ·stick [staff] in his hand and chose five smooth stones from a ·stream [wadi]. He put them in his shepherd’s bag and grabbed his sling. Then he ·went to meet [walked toward; approached] the Philistine.
41 At the same time, the Philistine was ·coming closer to [approaching] David. ·The man who held his shield [His shield bearer] walked in front of him. 42 When Goliath looked at David and saw that he was only a ·boy [youth], ·tanned [ruddy] and handsome, he looked down on David with ·disgust [contempt; scorn; disdain]. 43 The Philistine said to David, “·Do you think I am [Am I] a dog, that you come at me with a ·stick [staff]?” He used his gods’ names to curse David. 44 He said to David, “Come here. I’ll ·feed your body [L give your flesh] to the birds of the air and the wild animals [L of the field]!”
45 But David said to ·him [the Philistine], “You come to me using a sword ·and two spears [a spear and a javelin]. But I come to you in the name of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of hosts], the God of the armies of Israel! You have ·spoken against [taunted; defied; challenged] him. 46 Today the Lord will ·hand you over to me [deliver you into my hands], and I’ll ·kill you [L strike you down] and cut off your head. Today I’ll feed the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds of the air and the wild animals. Then all the ·world [earth] will know there is a God in Israel! 47 Everyone ·gathered here [in this assembly/crowd] will know the Lord does not need swords or spears to ·save [rescue; deliver] people [Ps. 46:9]. The battle ·belongs to him [is the Lord’s], and he will ·hand you over to us [give you into our hands].”
48 As ·Goliath [L the Philistine] came ·near [closer] to attack him, David ran quickly [L toward the battle line] to meet him. 49 He took a stone from his bag, put it into his sling, and slung it. The stone hit the Philistine and went deep into his forehead, and Goliath fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David ·defeated [triumphed/prevailed over] the Philistine with only a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. He did not even have a sword in his hand. 51 Then David ran and stood ·beside [over] him. He took Goliath’s sword out of its ·holder [sheath] and killed him ·by cutting [or and then cut] off his head.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ·ran [fled]. 52 The men of Israel and Judah ·shouted [surged forward with a shout] and chased the Philistines all the way to the entrance of the city of Gath and to the gates of Ekron.
The Philistines’ bodies lay on the Shaaraim road as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] returned after chasing the Philistines and ·robbed [sacked; plundered] their camp. 54 David took Goliath’s head to Jerusalem and put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.
55 When Saul saw David go out to ·meet [fight] Goliath, Saul asked Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, ·who is that young man’s father [whose son is that young boy]?”
Abner answered, “·As surely as you live [L By your life/soul], my king, I don’t know.”
56 The king said, “Find out whose son ·he [the lad/youth] is.”
57 When David came back from ·killing [striking] ·Goliath [the Philistine], Abner brought him to Saul. David was still holding ·Goliath’s [the Philistine’s] head.
58 Saul asked him, “Young man, ·who is your father [whose son are you]?”
David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
Saul Fears David
18 When David finished talking with Saul, ·Jonathan felt very close to David [L the life/soul of Jonathan was knit/bound to the life/soul of David]. He loved David as much as ·he loved himself [L his own life/soul]. 2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go home to his father’s house. 3 Jonathan made an ·agreement [covenant; solemn pact; treaty] with David, because he loved David as much as ·himself [L his own life/soul]. 4 He took off his ·coat [robe; C perhaps a royal robe] and gave it to David, along with his ·armor [tunic], including his sword, bow, and belt [C an expression of loyalty to David and perhaps even giving him the future kingship].
5 [L Wherever] Saul sent David ·to fight in different battles, and David [out, he] was very successful. Then Saul put David ·over [in command of] the soldiers, which pleased Saul’s ·officers [servants] and all the other people.
6 After David had ·killed [L struck] the Philistine, he and the men returned home. Women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They sang songs of joy, danced, and played tambourines and ·stringed [musical] instruments. 7 As they played, they sang,
“Saul has ·killed thousands of his enemies [T slain his thousands],
·but [and] David has ·killed [T slain his] tens of thousands.”
8 The women’s ·song upset [refrain/saying displeased/L was evil in the eyes/sight of] Saul, and he became very angry. He thought, “The women ·say David has killed [credit/ascribe to David] tens of thousands, but they ·say I have killed [credit/ascribe to me] only thousands. The only thing left for him to have is the kingdom!” 9 So Saul watched David closely from then on, because he was jealous.
10 The next day an ·evil [tormenting] spirit from God ·rushed upon [overwhelmed; seized; possessed] Saul, and he ·prophesied [or raved madly] in his house. David was playing the harp as he usually did, but Saul had a spear in his hand. 11 Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David ·escaped from [eluded] him twice.
12 The Lord was with David but had ·left [departed/withdrawn/turned away from] Saul. So Saul was afraid of David. 13 He sent David away and made him commander of a thousand soldiers. So David led them ·in battle [L out and back in]. 14 He ·had great success [prospered] in everything he did because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that David ·was very successful [greatly prospered], he ·feared [dreaded; was in awe of] David even more. 16 But all the people of Israel and Judah loved David because he led them ·well in battle [L out and back in].
Saul’s Daughter Marries David
17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will ·let you marry her [L give her to you as a wife]. ·All I ask is that you remain [or But first you must show yourself] brave [L for me] and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul thought, “I won’t ·have to kill David [L raise a hand against him]. The Philistines will do that.”
18 But David answered Saul, saying, “Who am I? ·My family is not important enough [What is my father’s family in Israel…?] for me to become the king’s son-in-law.” 19 So, when the time ·came [should have come] for Saul’s daughter Merab to marry David, Saul gave her instead to Adriel of Meholah [L as a wife].
20 Now Saul’s other daughter, Michal, loved David. When they told Saul, ·he was pleased [L the matter was right in his eyes]. 21 He thought, “I will ·let her marry [L give her to] David. ·Then […so that] she will be a ·trap [snare] for him, and the ·Philistines will defeat him [L hand of the Philistines will be against him].” So Saul said to David ·a second time, “You may [You have a second chance to] become my son-in-law.”
22 And Saul ordered his servants to talk with David ·in private [secretly] and say, “Look, the king ·likes [is delighted with] you. His servants love you. You should ·be [become] his son-in-law.”
23 Saul’s servants said these words ·to [L in the ears of] David, but David answered, “Do you think it is ·easy [L a small/trivial thing] to become the king’s son-in-law? I am poor and ·unimportant [have no position/reputation; C David cannot afford to pay the expected dowry].”
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king doesn’t want ·money [L a dowry/bride price] for the bride. All he wants is a hundred Philistine foreskins to get ·even with [revenge on] his enemies.’” Saul planned to let ·the Philistines kill David [L David fall at the hands of the Philistines].
26 When Saul’s servants told this to David, ·he was pleased [he was happy/delighted; L the thing was right in the eyes of David] to become the king’s son-in-law. [L So before the days were expired/fulfilled…] 27 He and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought all their foreskins [L and counted them out] to ·Saul [the king] so he could be the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife. 28 Saul ·saw [realized; L saw and knew] that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David. 29 So he grew even more afraid of David, and he was David’s enemy ·all his life [from then on; L all the days].
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to fight the Israelites, but every time, David was more ·skillful [successful; wise] than Saul’s officers. So he became ·famous [highly esteemed; L his name became extremely valuable].
Jesus Teaches About Prayer(A)
11 One time Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his ·followers [disciples] said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his ·followers [disciples].”
2 Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, ·may your name always be kept holy [T hallowed be your name].
May your kingdom come [C soon or fully].
3 Give us ·the food we need for each day [T our daily bread].
4 Forgive us for our sins,
·because [as] we forgive everyone who ·has done wrong to us [sins against us; L is indebted to us; C sin is pictured as a debt owed].
And ·do not cause us to be tempted [or do not subject us to testing; T lead us not into temptation].’”[a]
Continue to Ask(B)
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you went to your friend’s house at midnight and said to him, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread. 6 A friend of mine has come ·into town [L from the road] to visit me, but I have nothing ·for him to eat [to offer him; L to set before him].’ 7 Your friend inside the house answers, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already ·locked [shut], and my children ·and I are [L are with me] in bed [C a small Palestinian home where everyone slept in one room]. I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, [L even] if friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you the bread, ·your boldness will make him [your shameless persistence will make him; or in order not to be shamed before the community he will] get up and give you whatever you need. 9 So I tell you, ·ask [keep on asking], and God will give to you. ·Search [Keep on searching/seeking], and you will find. ·Knock [Keep on knocking], and the door will open for you. 10 ·Yes, [L For; Because] everyone who asks will receive. The one who ·searches [seeks] will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened. 11 If your ·children ask [or son asks] for[b] a fish, which of you fathers would give them a snake instead? 12 Or, if ·your children ask [or he asks] for an egg, would you give them a scorpion? 13 Even though you are ·bad [sinful; evil], you know how to give good ·things [L gifts] to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus’ Power Is from God(C)
14 One time Jesus was ·sending [driving; casting] out a demon ·who could not talk [or who was making a man mute]. When the demon came out, the man who had been unable to speak, then spoke. The ·people were [crowd was] amazed. 15 But some of them said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul [C another name for Satan], the ruler of demons, to ·force [drive; cast] demons out of people.”
16 Other people, wanting to test Jesus, asked him to give them a sign from heaven. 17 But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom that is ·divided against [at war with] itself ·will be destroyed [is doomed/heading for ruin]. And a ·family [L house] that is ·divided against [at war with] itself will ·not continue [L fall]. 18 So if Satan is divided against himself, ·his kingdom will not continue [L how will his kingdom stand?]. [L For] You say that I use the power of Beelzebul [v. 15] to ·force [drive; cast] out demons. 19 But if I use the power of Beelzebul to ·force [drive; cast] out demons, what power do your ·people [own exorcists; followers; L sons] use to ·force [drive; cast] demons out? So they will ·be your judges. 20 But if I use the ·power [L finger] of God to ·force [drive; cast] out demons, then the kingdom of God has ·come to [arrived among] you.
21 “When a strong person ·with many weapons [fully armed] guards his own ·house [villa; or palace; C a large building with a courtyard], his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger comes and ·defeats [overpowers; conquers] him, the stronger one will take away the ·weapons [armor] ·the first man trusted [on which he relied] and will ·give away the possessions [L divide his plunder].
23 “Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not ·work [L gather] with me ·is working against me [scatters; C the metaphor is probably to gathering or scattering a flock; John 10:12].
The Empty Person(D)
24 “When an ·evil [defiling; L unclean; 4:33] spirit comes out of a person, it ·travels [wanders] through ·dry [waterless; arid] places, looking for a place to rest. But when it finds no place, it says, ‘I will go back to the house [C meaning the person] I left.’ 25 And when it comes back, it finds that house swept clean and ·made neat [in order; fixed up]. 26 Then ·the evil spirit [L it] goes out and brings seven other spirits more evil than it is, and they go in and live there. So ·the person has even more trouble than before [L the last state of that person is worse than the first].”
People Who Are Truly Blessed
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out to Jesus, “Blessed is the ·mother who gave birth to you [L the womb that bore you] and [L the breasts that] nursed you.”
28 But Jesus said, “·No [L Rather; On the contrary], blessed are those who hear the ·teaching [word] of God and ·obey [practice; keep] it.”
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