David’s Victories^(A)

8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines^(B) and subdued^(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

² David also defeated the Moabites.^(D) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.^(E)

³ Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer^(F) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,^(G) when he went to restore his monument at^[a] the Euphrates^(H) River. ⁴ David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers^[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung^(I) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus^(J) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. ⁶ He put garrisons^(K) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject^(L) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.^(M)

⁷ David took the gold shields^(N) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Tebah^[c] and Berothai,^(O) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹ When Tou^[d] king of Hamath^(P) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,^{(Q) 10} he sent his son Joram^[e] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

¹¹ King David dedicated^(R) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: ¹² Edom^[f](S) and Moab,^(T) the Ammonites^(U) and the Philistines,^(V) and Amalek.^(W) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ And David became famous^(X) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites^[g] in the Valley of Salt.^(Y)

¹⁴ He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites^(Z) became subject to David.^(AA) The Lord gave David victory^(AB) wherever he went.^(AC)

David’s Officials^(AD)

¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right^(AE) for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab^(AF) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat^(AG) son of Ahilud was recorder;^{(AH) 17} Zadok^(AI) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar^(AJ) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^{(AK) 18} Benaiah^(AL) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites^(AM) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.^[h]

David and Mephibosheth

9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”^(AN)

² Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba.^(AO) They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

³ The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan;^(AP) he is lame^(AQ) in both feet.”

⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir^(AR) son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

⁵ So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

⁶ When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.^(AS)

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.^(AT) I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.^(AU)”

⁸ Mephibosheth^(AV) bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog^(AW) like me?”

⁹ Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson^(AX) may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

¹¹ Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s^[i] table like one of the king’s sons.^(AY)

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth.^{(AZ) 13} And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

Deliverance of Israel

27 In that day,^(A)

² In that day^(F)—

¹² In that day the Lord will thresh^(AI) from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt,^(AJ) and you, Israel, will be gathered^(AK) up one by one. ¹³ And in that day^(AL) a great trumpet^(AM) will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled^(AN) in Egypt^(AO) will come and worship^(AP) the Lord on the holy mountain^(AQ) in Jerusalem.

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers,^(A) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged^(B) more strictly.^{(C) 2} We all stumble^(D) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say^(E) is perfect,^(F) able to keep their whole body in check.^(G)

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.^{(H) 4} Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.^(I) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire,^(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^(K) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^(L)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^(M)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{(N) 10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^(O) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^(P) by their good life, by deeds^(Q) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(R) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{(S) 15} Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(T) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(U) 16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(V) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(W) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(X) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(Y) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{(Z) 18} Peacemakers^(AA) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^(AB)

Submit Yourselves to God

4 What causes fights and quarrels^(AC) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^(AD) within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill.^(AE) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive,^(AF) because you ask with wrong motives,^(AG) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous^(AH) people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(AI) means enmity against God?^(AJ) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^{(AK) 5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]?^{(AL) 6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(AN) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(AO) Wash your hands,^(AP) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(AQ) you double-minded.^{(AR) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(AS) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(AT)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(AU) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[d] or judges them^(AV) speaks against the law^(AW) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(AX) but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,^(AY) the one who is able to save and destroy.^(AZ) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?^(BA)

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Now listen,^(BB) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”^{(BC) 14} Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.^{(BD) 15} Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,^(BE) we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(BF) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(BG)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(BH) you rich people,^(BI) weep and wail^(BJ) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(BK) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(BL) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(BM) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(BN) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(BO) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(BP) in the day of slaughter.^{[e](BQ) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(BR) the innocent one,^(BS) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(BT) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(BU) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(BV) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(BW) is near.^{(BX) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(BY) or you will be judged. The Judge^(BZ) is standing at the door!^(CA)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(CB) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(CC) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(CD) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(CE) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(CF)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(CG)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(CH) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(CI) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(CJ) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(CK) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(CL) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(CM) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(CN) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(CO)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(CP) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(CQ) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(CR)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(CS) and someone should bring that person back,^{(CT) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(CU) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(CV)