Old/New Testament
Nabal Insults David
25 Now Samuel died, and all the Israelites ·met [L gathered; assembled] and ·had a time of sadness [mourned] for him. Then they buried him at his home in Ramah.
David moved to the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Maon.[a] 2 A man in Maon who had ·land [business] at Carmel was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was ·cutting the wool off his sheep [having his sheep shorn] at Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal [C meaning “Fool” in Hebrew], and he was a descendant of Caleb [Num. 13:6, 30; 14:6, 24, 30; Josh. 14:6; 15:14; Judg. 1:12–20]. His wife was named Abigail. She was ·wise [intelligent; clever; sensible] and beautiful, but Nabal was ·cruel [harsh; crude; surly] and mean. He was a Calebite.
4 While David was in the ·desert [wilderness], he heard that Nabal was ·cutting the wool from [shearing] his sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and told them, “Go to Nabal at Carmel, and greet him ·for me [L in my name]. 6 Say to Nabal, ‘May you and your ·family [L house] and all who belong to you have ·good health [long life; peace; prosperity]! 7 I have heard that you are ·cutting the wool from [shearing] your sheep. When your shepherds were with us, we did not ·harm [mistreat] them. All the time your shepherds were at Carmel, ·we stole nothing from them [they missed/lost nothing]. 8 Ask your ·servants [L young men], and they will tell you. We come at a ·happy time [feast day; festive time], so ·be kind [show favor] to my young men. Please give anything [C provisions] you ·can find [have at hand] for them and for your son David.’”
9 When David’s men arrived, they gave the message to Nabal [L in David’s name], ·but Nabal insulted them [L and then waited]. 10 He answered them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many ·slaves [servants] are running away from their masters ·today [these days]! 11 I have bread and water, and I have meat that I ·killed [slaughtered] for my ·servants who cut the wool [shearers]. ·But I won’t give it to men I don’t know [L Why should I give it to men from who knows where?].”
12 David’s men went back and told him all Nabal had said. 13 Then David said to them, “·Put [Strap; Buckle; T Gird] on your swords!” So they ·put [strapped; buckled; T girded] on their swords, and David put [strapped; buckled; T girded] on his also. About four hundred men went with David, but two hundred men stayed with the ·supplies [equipment; baggage].
14 One of Nabal’s ·servants [young men] said to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the ·desert [wilderness] to greet our master, but Nabal ·insulted [scorned] them. 15 These men were very good to us. They did not ·harm [mistreat] us. ·They stole nothing from us [Nothing was missing] during all the time we were out in the field with them. 16 Night and day they ·protected us. They were […were] like a wall around us while we were with them ·caring for [tending; minding] the sheep. 17 Now ·think about it [make up your mind], and ·decide [consider] what you ·can [should] do. ·Terrible trouble is coming to [Disaster is certain for; Evil is fated for] our master and all his ·family [household]. Nabal is such a ·wicked [ill-tempered; quarrelsome] man that no one can even talk to him.”
18 Abigail hurried. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two ·leather bags [wineskins] full of wine, five ·cooked [prepared; slaughtered] sheep, ·a bushel [five measures/L seahs] of ·cooked [roasted] grain, a hundred ·cakes [clusters] of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs and ·put [loaded] all these on donkeys. 19 Then she told her ·servants [L young men], “Go on [L ahead]. I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 Abigail rode her donkey and came down toward ·the [a] mountain ·hideout [ravine]. There she met David and his men coming down toward her.
21 David had just said, “·It’s been useless! [In vain have ] I ·watched over [guarded; protected] Nabal’s property in the ·desert [wilderness]. I made sure ·none of his sheep was missing [nothing was stolen]. I did good to him, but he has paid me back with evil. 22 May God punish ·me [L David][b] even more than my enemies if I leave even one of Nabal’s ·men [L one who urinates against a wall] alive until morning.
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated herself] before him. 24 She fell at David’s feet and said, “My ·master [lord], let the ·blame [guilt] be on me! Please let ·me [L your maidservant] talk to you. Listen to what ·I [L your maidservant has to] say. 25 My ·master [lord], [L please] don’t ·pay attention to [L set your heart/mind on] this worthless man Nabal. He is like his name. His name means ·‘fool’ [‘brute’], and he is truly a ·fool [brute]. But I, your servant, didn’t see the men you sent. 26 The Lord has kept you from killing and ·punishing anyone [taking revenge/vengeance by your own hand]. As surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, may your enemies [L and those who seek to harm my lord] become like Nabal! 27 ·I [L Your maidservant] have brought a gift to you for the men who follow you. 28 Please forgive ·my [L your maidservant’s] ·wrong [offense; transgression]. The Lord will certainly ·let your family have many kings [make a lasting/enduring dynasty/house for my lord; 2 Sam. 7], because you fight ·his [L the Lord’s] battles. As long as you live, ·may you do nothing bad [L no evil/wrong will be found in you]. 29 Should someone try to chase you to ·kill you [L seek your life], the Lord your God will ·keep you alive [L wrap/bind you up with the living]. He will ·throw [sling; hurl; fling] away your enemies’ lives as ·he would throw a stone from [L the pocket of] a sling. 30 When the Lord has done all the good he promised, he will make you ·leader [ruler; prince] over Israel. 31 Then you won’t feel ·guilty [grieved; anxious] or ·troubled [remorse] because you ·killed innocent people and punished them [L shed blood without cause and avenged yourself]. Please remember ·me [L your maidservant] when the Lord ·brings you success [has done well by you].”
32 David answered Abigail, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. 33 May you be blessed for your ·wisdom [good sense/judgment; discernment]. You have kept me from ·killing [bloodshed] or ·punishing people [L avenging myself with my own hand] today. 34 As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, he has kept me from ·hurting [harming] you. If you hadn’t come quickly to meet me, not one of Nabal’s ·men [L those who urinate against a wall] would ·have lived until [still be alive in the] morning.”
35 Then David ·accepted Abigail’s gifts [L received from her hand that which she had brought]. He told her, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words, and ·I will do what you have asked [granted your request/petition].”
Nabal’s Death
36 When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was in the house, ·eating [feasting; drinking] like a king. He was very drunk and in ·a good mood [high spirits]. So she told him nothing until ·the next morning [daybreak; dawn]. 37 In the morning when ·he was not drunk [L the wine had left him], his wife told him everything. ·His heart stopped [He had a stroke], and he became like stone. 38 About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord! Nabal insulted me, but the Lord has ·supported me [avenged me; pleaded/judged my case; upheld my cause]! He has kept ·me [L his servant] from doing ·wrong [evil]. The Lord has ·punished Nabal for his wrong [L returned Nabal’s evildoing on his own head].”
Then David sent a ·message [proposal] to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David sent us to take you so you can become his wife.”
41 Abigail ·bowed facedown [prostrated herself] on the ground and said, “·I am [L Your maidservant is] your ·servant [slave]. I’m ready to serve you and to wash the feet of my ·master’s [lord’s] servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers, with her five ·maids [servant-girls] following her. And she became David’s wife.
43 David also had married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So they were both David’s wives. 44 Saul’s daughter Michal was also David’s wife [18:20–29], but Saul had given her to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
David Shames Saul Again
26 The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and said to him, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah ·opposite [overlooking; facing] ·Jeshimon [or the wasteland].”
2 So Saul went down to the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Ziph with three thousand ·chosen men [elite soldiers] of Israel to look for David ·there [L in the Desert/Wilderness of Ziph]. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah ·opposite [overlooking; facing] ·Jeshimon [or the wasteland], but David stayed in the ·desert [wilderness]. When he heard Saul had followed him [L into the desert/wilderness], 4 he sent out ·spies [scouts] and learned for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5 Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping ·in [within] the ·middle [circle; ring] of the camp with all the army around him.
6 David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into Saul’s camp with me?”
Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
7 So that night David and Abishai went ·into Saul’s camp [L amidst the army]. Saul was asleep ·in [within] the ·middle [circle; ring] of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the army were sleeping around Saul. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has ·handed [delivered] your enemy ·over to you [L into your hand]. Let me pin Saul to the ground with my spear. I’ll only have to do it once. I won’t need to ·hit [L strike] him twice.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t ·kill [L destroy] Saul! ·No one [Who…?] can ·harm [raise a hand against] the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed] and still be ·innocent [without guilt]! 10 As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord himself will ·punish Saul [strike him]. ·Maybe Saul will die naturally [L His day to die will come], or maybe he will go into battle and be killed. 11 But may the Lord ·keep me from [forbid my] ·harming [raising my hand against] his ·appointed king [anointed]! Take the spear and water jug that are near Saul’s head. Then let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw them or knew about it or woke up, because ·the Lord had put them sound asleep [L a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them].
13 David crossed over to the other side of the hill and stood on top of the mountain far from Saul’s camp. They were a long way away from each other. 14 David ·shouted [called] to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Won’t you answer me, Abner?”
Abner answered, “Who is calling for the king? Who are you [L that calls on the king]?”
15 David said, “You’re ·the greatest man [L a man unlike any] in Israel. Isn’t that true? Why didn’t you ·guard [protect] your ·master [lord] the king? Someone came into your camp to kill your ·master [lord] the king! 16 ·You have not done well [L This thing you’ve done is not good]. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men ·should [must] die. You haven’t guarded your ·master [lord], the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed]. Look! Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17 Saul ·knew [recognized] David’s voice. He said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David answered, “Yes, it is [L my voice], my ·master [lord] and king.” 18 David also said, “Why are you ·chasing me [pursuing your servant], my ·master [lord]? What wrong have I done? What ·evil [crime] ·am I guilty of [L is in my hand]? 19 My ·master [lord] and king, listen to me. If the Lord ·made you angry with [L stirred you up/incited you against] me, let him accept an offering. But if people did it, may the Lord curse them! They have ·made me leave [driven me out today from] ·the land the Lord gave me [L my share in the Lord’s inheritance/heritage]. They have told me, ‘Go and ·serve [worship] other gods.’ 20 Now don’t let ·me die [L my blood fall to the ground so] far away from the Lord’s presence. The king of Israel has come out looking for a [L single] flea! You’re just hunting a ·bird [L partridge] in the mountains!”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Today you ·respected [valued; considered precious] my life, so I will not try to hurt you. I have been very ·stupid [wrong; mistaken] and foolish.”
22 David answered, “·Here is [T Behold] your spear [L O king]. Let one of your young men come here and get it. 23 The Lord ·rewards us for the things we do right [repays each one for his righteousness] and for our ·loyalty [faithfulness] to him. The Lord ·handed you over to me [L placed you in my hand] today, but I wouldn’t ·harm [raise a hand against] the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed]. 24 As I ·respected [valued; considered precious] your life today, may the Lord also ·respect [value; consider precious] my life and ·save [rescue; deliver] me from all ·trouble [tribulation].”
25 Then Saul said to David, “·You are [May you be] blessed, my son David. You will do great things and ·succeed [surely prevail/triumph].”
So David went on his way, and Saul went back home.
Don’t Trust in Money
32 “Don’t fear, little flock, because your Father ·wants [is glad/pleased] to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give ·to the poor [alms]. ·Get [Make] for yourselves ·purses [moneybags] that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never ·runs out [fails you], where thieves can’t ·steal [L come near] and moths can’t destroy. 34 ·Your heart will be where your treasure is [L For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also; Matt. 6:19–21].
Always Be Ready(A)
35 “·Be dressed, ready for service [T Let your loins be girded; C tucking garments into the waist belt to allow swift movement; a metaphor for preparedness], and have your lamps ·shining [burning; lit]. 36 Be like ·servants [L people] who are waiting for their ·master [lord] to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him. 37 ·They [L Those servants/slaves] will be ·blessed [happy; or rewarded] when their ·master [lord] comes home, because he sees that they were ·watching [alert; awake] for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to ·sit at the table [recline; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party; see 7:36], and he will ·serve [wait on] them [C a radical reversal in a culture where a master would never wait on a slave]. 38 Those servants will be ·blessed [happy; or rewarded] when he comes in and finds them ·still waiting [L thus; C alert and ready], even ·if it is midnight or later [L even in the second or third watches; C between 9 PM and 3 AM (by Roman reckoning)].
39 “·Remember [Know] this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to ·enter [break into] his house. 40 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] will come at a time when you don’t expect him!”
Who Is the Trusted Servant?
41 Peter said, “Lord, did you tell this ·story to [parable for] us or ·to [for] all people?”
42 The Lord said, “Who is the ·trusted [faithful] and ·wise [sensible] ·servant [household manager] that the ·master [lord] ·trusts [L puts in charge of the household servants] to give ·the other servants [L them] their ·food [food allowance; daily provisions] at the right time? 43 That ·servant [slave] will be ·blessed [happy; or rewarded] when the master comes and finds him doing his work. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will ·choose that servant to take care [put him in charge] of everything he owns. 45 But suppose the ·servant [slave] thinks to himself, ‘My master ·will not come back soon [is delayed in coming],’ and he begins to beat the other servants, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master [L of that servant/slave] will come [L on a day] when that servant is not ready and [L at an hour when he] is not expecting him. Then the master will cut him in pieces and ·send him away to be [assign/appoint him a place] with the ·others who don’t obey [unfaithful; unbelievers; C a metaphorical reference to Jesus, the ultimate Lord and Master, returning to judge his servants].
47 “The ·servant [slave] who knows what his master wants but is not ·ready [prepared], or who does not do what the master wants, will ·be beaten with many blows [beaten severely]! 48 But the servant who does not know what his master wants and does things that should be punished will be beaten ·with few blows [lightly; C a metaphor for judgment]. From everyone who has been given much, much will be ·demanded [required]. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected.
Jesus Causes Division(B)
49 “I came to ·set [bring; cast] fire to the world, and I wish it were already ·burning [kindled]! 50 I have a baptism [C a metaphor for suffering, portrayed as an overwhelming deluge] ·to suffer through [L to be baptized with], and I feel very ·troubled [distressed] until it is over. 51 Do you think I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I came to ·divide it [bring division]. 52 [L For] From now on, a ·family [L house] with five people will be divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 They will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law [Mic. 7:6].”
Understanding the Times(C)
54 Then Jesus said to the ·people [crowds], “When you see clouds coming up in the west, [L immediately] you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and [L so; thus] it happens. 55 When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south [C the desert], you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it happens. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to ·understand [interpret] the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you ·understand [know how to interpret] ·what is happening now [this present time; C the time of the coming of the Kingdom]?
Settle Your Problems(D)
57 “Why can’t you ·decide [judge] for yourselves what is right? 58 If your ·enemy [opponent; accuser] is taking you ·to court [before the magistrate/ruler], try hard to settle it on the way. If you don’t, your enemy might ·take [drag] you to the judge, and the judge might turn you over to the officer, and the officer might throw you into ·jail [prison]. 59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid everything you owe [C Greek: the last lepton; a copper or bronze coin of very little value].”
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