Monday 31 January 2028

13A messenger came to David,saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

14David said to all his servantswho were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise!Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom.Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quicklyand bring down evil on us,and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”· · · verses 15–29 are not read30David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives,and wept as he went up;and he had his head covered and went barefoot.All the people who were with him each covered his head,and they went up, weeping as they went up.

· · · some verses are not read5When King David came to Bahurim,behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out,whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera.He came out and cursed as he came.6He cast stones at Davidand at all the servants of King David,and all the peopleand all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.7Shimei said when he cursed,“Be gone, be gone,you man of blood, and wicked fellow!8The Lord has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house,in whose place you have reigned!The Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son!Behold, you are caught by your own mischief,because you are a man of blood!”

9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king,“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?Please let me go over and take off his head.”10The king said, “What have I to do with you,you sons of Zeruiah?Because he curses,and because the Lord has said to him,‘Curse David,’ who then shall say,‘Why have you done so?’”

11David said to Abishai and to all his servants,“Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life.How much more this Benjamite, now?Leave him alone, and let him curse;for the Lord has invited him.12It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,and that the Lord will repay me good for the cursing of me today.”13So David and his men went by the way;and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite himand cursed as he went,threw stones at him, and threw dust.

2Lord, how my adversaries have increased!Many are those who rise up against me.3Many there are who say of my soul,“There is no help for him in God.”

4But you, Lord, are a shield around me,my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.5I cry to the Lord with my voice,and he answers me out of his holy hill.

6I laid myself down and slept.I awakened, for the Lord sustains me.7I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of peoplewho have set themselves against me on every side.

1They came to the other side of the sea,into the country of the Gadarenes.2When he had come out of the boat,immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs.3He lived in the tombs.Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains,4because he had been often bound with fetters and chains,and the chains had been torn apart by him,and the fetters broken in pieces.Nobody had the strength to tame him.5Always, night and day,in the tombs and in the mountains,he was crying out,and cutting himself with stones.6When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him,7and crying out with a loud voice,he said, “What have I to do with you,Jesus, you Son of the Most High God?I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.”8For he said to him,“Come out of the man,you unclean spirit!”

9He asked him, “What is your name?”

He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”10He begged him muchthat he would not send them away out of the country.11Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.12All the demons begged him,saying, “Send us into the pigs,that we may enter into them.”

13At once Jesus gave them permission.The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs.The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea,and they were drowned in the sea.14Those who fed the pigs fled,and told it in the city and in the country.

The people came to see what it was that had happened.15They came to Jesus,and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting,clothed, and in his right mind,even him who had the legion;and they were afraid.16Those who saw it declared to them what happened to himwho was possessed by demons,and about the pigs.17They began to beg him to depart from their region.

18As he was entering into the boat,he who had been possessed by demons begged himthat he might be with him.19He didn’t allow him,but said to him, “Go to your house,to your friends,and tell them what great things the Lord has done for youand how he had mercy on you.”

20He went his way,and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him,and everyone marveled.