Old/New Testament
David’s Son Dies
12 The Lord sent Nathan [C a prophet who was in the king’s court; 7:2–17] to David. When he came to David, he said, “There were two men in a city. One was rich, but the other was poor. 2 The rich man had many ·sheep [flocks] and ·cattle [herds]. 3 But the poor man had nothing except one little ·female [ewe] lamb he had bought. The poor man fed the lamb, and it grew up with him and his children. It ·shared his food [L ate from his plate] and drank from his cup and slept in his ·arms [L bosom]. The lamb was like a daughter to him.
4 “Then a traveler stopped to visit the rich man. The rich man wanted to feed the traveler, but he ·didn’t want [was unwilling/loath] to take one ·of his own sheep or cattle [from his own flock or herd]. Instead, he took the lamb from the poor man and ·cooked [L prepared] it for his visitor.”
5 David ·became very angry at [L burned with anger against] the rich man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this ·should [deserves to] die! 6 He must ·pay for the lamb four times [repay four lambs] for doing such a thing [Ex. 22:1]. He had no ·mercy [pity; compassion]!”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are ·the [that] man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I ·appointed [anointed] you king of Israel and [L I] ·saved [rescued; delivered] you from [L the hand of] Saul. 8 I gave you ·his kingdom [L your master’s house] and his wives [L into your arms/bosom]. And I ·made you king [L gave you the house] of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you ·even [much] more. 9 So why did you ·ignore the Lord’s command [L despise the word of the Lord]? Why did you do what ·he says is wrong [L is evil in his sight/eyes]? You ·killed [L struck down] Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and took his wife to be your wife! 10 ·Now [Therefore] ·there will always be people in your family who will die by a sword [L the sword will never depart from your house], because you ·did not respect [L have despised] me; you took the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself!’
11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am ·bringing trouble to [L raising up evil against] you from your own ·family [L house]. ·While you watch [L Before your eyes], I will take your wives from you and give them to ·someone who is very close to you [L your neighbor]. He will ·have sexual relations [L lie] with your wives, ·and everyone will know it [in broad daylight]. 12 You ·had sexual relations with Bathsheba [L did it] in secret, but I will do this ·so all the people of Israel can see it [L before all Israel in broad daylight; 16:21–22].’”
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan answered, “The Lord has ·taken away [forgiven] your sin. You will not die [Ps. 51]. 14 But what you did ·caused the Lord’s enemies to lose all respect for him [or has shown utter contempt/scorn for the Lord]. For this reason the ·son [child] who was born to you will die.”
15 Then Nathan went home. And the Lord ·caused the son [L struck the child] of David and Bathsheba, Uriah’s widow, ·to be [and he became] very sick. 16 David ·prayed to [pleaded with; begged; L inquired of] God for the baby. David fasted and went into his house and stayed there, lying on the ground all night. 17 The elders of David’s ·family [L house] ·came to [stood around] him and tried to pull him up from the ground, but he refused to get up or to eat food with them.
18 On the seventh day the baby died. David’s ·servants [advisers] were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead. They said, “Look, we tried to talk to David while the baby was alive, but he refused to listen to ·us [reason]. If we tell him the baby is dead, he may do ·something awful [something desperate; himself harm].”
19 When David saw his ·servants [advisers] whispering, he knew that the baby was dead. So he asked them, “Is the ·baby [child] dead?”
They answered, “Yes, he is dead.”
20 Then David got up from the ·floor [ground], washed himself, ·put lotions on [anointed himself], and changed his clothes. Then he went into ·the Lord’s house [the Tabernacle; L his house] to worship. After that, he went home and asked for something to eat. His servants gave him some food, and he ate.
21 David’s ·servants [advisers] said to him, “Why are you ·doing [behaving like] this? When the ·baby [child] was still alive, you fasted and you cried. Now that the ·baby [child] is dead, you get up and eat food.”
22 David said, “While the ·baby [child] was still alive, I fasted, and I cried. I thought, ‘Who knows? Maybe the Lord will ·feel sorry for [L be gracious to] me and let the ·baby [child] live.’ 23 But now that the ·baby [child] is dead, why should I fast? ·I can’t [L Can I…?] bring him back to life. Someday I will go to him, but he cannot come back to me.”
24 Then David ·comforted [consoled] Bathsheba his wife. He ·slept with [L went in to] her and ·had sexual relations [L lay] with her. She ·became pregnant again [conceived] and ·had another [L gave birth to a] son, whom ·David [or she; they] named Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon. 25 The Lord sent word through Nathan the prophet to name the baby Jedidiah [C “loved by the Lord”], ·because the Lord loved the child [L for the Lord’s sake].
David Captures Rabbah(A)
26 Joab fought against Rabbah, a royal city of the Ammonites, and he was about to capture it. 27 Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured ·its water supply [or the City of Waters]. 28 Now bring the ·other soldiers [L rest of the army] together and attack this city. Capture it before I capture it myself and it is ·called by my name [named after me]!”
29 So David gathered all the army and went to Rabbah and ·fought against [attacked] it and captured it. 30 David took the crown ·off their king’s [or of Milcom from his] head [C Milcom was their main god] and had it placed on his own head. That gold crown weighed ·about seventy-five pounds [L a talent], and ·it had valuable gems in it [was set with precious stones]. And David took ·many valuable things [great amounts of plunder/spoil] from the city. 31 He also brought out the people of the city and forced them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. He also ·made them build with bricks [sent them to the brick kilns]. David did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.
Amnon and Tamar
13 [L Sometime later; After this] David had a son named Absalom and a son named Amnon. Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon loved her. 2 Tamar was a virgin. Amnon made himself sick ·just thinking about her [by his obsession/frustration with her], because ·he could not find any chance to be alone with her [it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her; it appeared he could never have her].
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very ·clever [shrewd; crafty; wise] man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Son of the king, why do you look so ·sad [depressed; dejected] ·day after day [L morning after morning]? Tell me what’s wrong!”
Amnon told him, “I love Tamar, the sister of my ·half-brother [L brother] Absalom.”
5 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Go to bed and ·act as if you are [pretend to be] sick. ·Then [When…] your father will come to see you. Tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in and give me food to eat. Let her make the food in front of me so I can watch and eat it from her hand.’”
6 So Amnon went to bed and acted sick. When King David came in to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come in. Let her make ·two of her special cakes [some special bread] for me while I watch. Then I will eat them from her hands.”
7 David sent for Tamar in the palace, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and make some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was ·in bed [L lying down]. Tamar took some dough and ·pressed it together with her hands [kneaded it]. She made some special ·cakes [bread] while Amnon watched. Then she baked them. 9 Next she took the pan and ·served him [L dished/poured them out before him], but he refused to eat.
He said to his servants, “·All of you, leave me alone [Everyone get out of here]!” So they all ·left him alone [got out]. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the ·bedroom [inner room] so I may eat from your hand.”
Tamar took the ·cakes [bread] she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the ·bedroom [inner room]. 11 She went to him so he could eat from her hands, but Amnon grabbed her. He said, “Sister, come and ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me.”
12 Tamar said to him, “No, [L my] brother! Don’t ·force [violate; rape; L humiliate] me! This ·should never be [isn’t] done in Israel! Don’t do this ·shameful [disgraceful; wicked; vile] thing! 13 ·I could never [L Where could I…?] get rid of my shame! And you will be ·like the shameful [one of the greatest] ·fools [scoundrels] in Israel! Please talk with the king, and he will ·let you marry [L not refuse your marrying] me.”
14 But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was, so he ·forced her to have sexual relations with him [raped/L humiliated her and lay with her]. 15 After that, Amnon hated Tamar [L intensely; with a great hatred]. He hated her more than he had loved her before. Amnon said to her, “Get ·up and leave [out]!”
16 Tamar said to him, “No! Sending me away would be ·worse [a greater wrong] than what you’ve already done [L to me]!”
But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his young ·servant [L man] back in and said, “Get this woman out of here and away from me! Lock the door ·after [behind] her.” 18 So his servant led her out of the room and bolted the door ·after [behind] her.
Tamar was wearing a special robe with long sleeves, because the king’s virgin daughters wore this kind of robe. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her special robe [C a sign of mourning or distress]. ·Putting her hand on her head [or with her face in her hands], she went away, crying loudly.
20 Absalom, Tamar’s brother, said to her, “Has Amnon, your brother, ·forced you to have sexual relations with him [L been with you]? For now, sister, ·be quiet [keep silent]. He is your half-brother. Don’t ·let this upset you so much [worry about this; L take this to heart]!” So Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house and was ·sad and lonely [desolate and inconsolable].
21 When King David heard the news, he was very angry. 22 Absalom did not say a word, good or bad, to Amnon. But he hated Amnon for ·disgracing [violating; raping; L humiliating] his sister Tamar.
Absalom’s Revenge
23 Two years later Absalom had some men come to Baal Hazor, near Ephraim, to cut the wool from his sheep. Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come also [C for a feast]. 24 Absalom went to the king and said, “I have men coming to cut the wool. Please come with your ·officers [attendants; L servants] and join ·me [L your servant].”
25 King David said to Absalom, “No, my son. We won’t all go, because it would be too much ·trouble [of a burden] for you.” Although Absalom ·begged [urged; pressed] David, he would not go, but he did give his blessing.
26 Absalom said, “If you don’t want to come, then please let my brother Amnon come with us.”
King David asked, “Why should he go with you?”
27 Absalom kept ·begging [urging; pressing] David until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with Absalom.
28 Then Absalom instructed his ·servants [L men], “Watch Amnon. When ·he is drunk [he’s in high spirits; L his heart is merry with wine], I will tell you, ‘·Kill [L Strike] Amnon.’ Right then, kill him! Don’t be afraid, because I have ·commanded [ordered] you! Be ·strong [courageous] and ·brave [valiant]!” 29 So Absalom’s ·young men [servants] killed Amnon as Absalom ·commanded [ordered], ·but [then] all of David’s other sons got on their mules and ·escaped [fled].
30 While the king’s sons were on their way [C back to Jerusalem], the news came to David, “Absalom has ·killed [L struck down] all of the king’s sons! Not one of them is left alive!” 31 King David [L got up,] tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress] and ·lay [threw himself] on the ground. All his ·servants [officers; attendants] standing nearby tore their clothes also.
32 Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said to David, “Don’t ·think [believe; suppose] all the young men, your sons, are killed. No, only Amnon is dead! Absalom has ·planned [plotted; been determined to do] this ever since Amnon ·forced his sister Tamar to have sexual relations with him [raped/violated/L humiliated his sister Tamar]. 33 My ·master and [lord the] king, don’t ·think [imagine; L take to heart] that all of the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead!”
34 In the meantime Absalom had run away.
A ·guard [watchman] standing on the city wall saw many people coming [L on the road] from the other side of the hill. 35 So Jonadab said to King David, “Look, ·I was right [L just as your servant said]! The king’s sons are coming!”
36 As soon as Jonadab had said this, the king’s sons arrived, ·crying [wailing] loudly. David and all his servants began ·crying [wailing] also. 37 David ·cried [mourned] for his son ·every day [many days].
But Absalom ran away to Talmai [C his grandfather] son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. 38 After Absalom ran away to Geshur, he stayed there for three years. 39 When King David ·got over [was reconciled to/comforted about/consoled over] Amnon’s death, he ·missed [longed/yearned for] Absalom greatly.
True Wealth
16 Jesus also said to his ·followers [disciples], “Once there was a rich man who had a manager to take care of his business. This manager was accused of ·cheating him [wasting/squandering his assests/possessions]. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give me a ·report [accounting] of ·what you have done with my money [L your management], because you ·can’t be my manager any longer [are going to be fired].’ 3 The manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do since my master is ·taking my job away from [about to fire] me? I am not strong enough to ·dig ditches [or work the soil; L dig], and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I’ll do so that when I ·lose my job [L am removed from management] people will welcome me into their homes.’
5 “So the manager called in everyone who owed the master any money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe [L my master]?’ 6 He answered, ‘Eight hundred gallons [C Greek: one hundred batoi; a batos was about eight gallons] of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write ·four hundred gallons [Greek: fifty (batoi)].’ 7 Then the manager asked another one, ‘How much do you owe?’ He answered, ‘·One thousand bushels [Greek: one hundred koroi; a koros was about ten bushels] of wheat.’ Then the manager said to him, ‘Take your bill and write eight hundred bushels [C Greek: eighty (koroi)].’ 8 So, the master praised the ·dishonest [unrighteous; unjust] manager for being ·clever [shrewd; prudent]. Yes, ·worldly people [L the children of this age] are more ·clever [shrewd; prudent] with their own ·kind [contemporaries; generation] than ·spiritual people [L the children of light] are.
9 “I tell you, make friends for yourselves using ·worldly riches [L the mammon/wealth of unrighteousness] so that when those riches ·are gone [fail; run out], you will be welcomed in ·those homes that continue forever [eternal dwellings/tents; C God’s presence]. 10 Whoever ·can be trusted [is faithful] with a little ·can also be trusted [is also faithful] with a lot, and whoever is ·dishonest [unjust] with a little is ·dishonest [unjust] with a lot. 11 If [L therefore] you ·cannot be trusted [have not been faithful] with ·worldly riches [L unrighteous mammon], then who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you ·cannot be trusted [have not been faithful] with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?
13 “No servant can serve two ·masters [lords]. [L For] The servant will hate one master and love the other, or will ·follow [be devoted/loyal to] one master and ·refuse to follow [despise] the other. You cannot serve both God and ·worldly riches [money; L mammon].”
God’s Law Cannot Be Changed
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, were listening to all these things and ·made fun of [derided; ridiculed] Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You ·make yourselves look good [justify yourselves] in front of people, but God knows what is really in your hearts. What is ·important to [exalted/esteemed by] people is ·hateful [detestable; an abomination] in God’s sight.
16 “The law of Moses and the writings of the prophets [C the Old Testament] ·were preached [or were in force; L were] until John [C the Baptist] came [3:1–20; C John is the transitional figure between the age of promise and the age of salvation]. Since then the ·Good News [Gospel] about the kingdom of God is being ·told [preached; proclaimed], and everyone ·tries to enter it by force [or is eager to get into it; or is strongly urged to enter it]. 17 It would be easier for heaven and earth to ·pass away [disappear] than for ·the smallest part [L one stroke] of a letter in the law to ·be changed [drop out; Matt. 5:18; 11:12–13].
Divorce and Remarriage(A)
18 “If a man divorces his wife and marries another woman, he ·is guilty of [commits] adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman ·is also guilty of [commits] adultery.”
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 Jesus said, “There was a rich man who always dressed in ·the finest clothes [L purple and fine linen] and ·lived in luxury [or feasted sumptuously] every day. 20 And a very poor man named Lazarus, whose body was covered with sores, was laid at the rich man’s gate. 21 He ·wanted [longed] to eat ·only the small pieces of food that fell [L what fell] from the rich man’s table. ·And [Even] the dogs would come and lick his sores [C dogs were viewed as despicable scavengers, not household pets]. 22 ·Later [L Now it happened that], Lazarus died, and the angels carried him to ·the arms of Abraham [L Abraham’s side/T bosom; C the imagery of a banquet, with Abraham as host and Lazarus as honored guest]. The rich man died, too, and was buried. 23 In ·the place of the dead [L Hades], he was in ·much pain [torment]. ·Looking up [L Lifting up his eyes,], the rich man saw Abraham far away with Lazarus ·at his side [T in his bosom]. 24 He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am ·suffering [in agony] in this fire [Is. 66:24]!’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember when you were alive you had the good things in life, but bad things happened to Lazarus. Now he is comforted here, and you are ·suffering [in agony]. 26 Besides [L all this], there is a ·big pit [great gulf/chasm set in place] between you and us, so no one can cross over to you, and no one can leave there and come ·here [L to us].’ 27 The rich man said, ‘Father, then ·please [I ask/beg you to] send Lazarus to my father’s house. 28 [L For] I have five brothers, and Lazarus could warn them so that they will not come to this place of ·pain [torment].’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have ·the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets [L Moses and the prophets]; let them ·learn from [listen to] them.’ 30 The rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham! [L But] If someone goes to them from the dead, they would ·believe and change their hearts and lives [L repent].’ 31 But Abraham said to him, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not ·listen to [L be persuaded/convinced by] someone who comes back from the dead.’”
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