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Bible Study Plan:     Bible Version     Starting Date

  1 Samuel 25-26


25:1 Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon.
25:2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.
25:3 His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.
25:4 While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.
25:5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, "Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name.
25:6 Say to him
25:7 ""Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing.
25:8 Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.""
25:9 When David's men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David's name. Then they waited.
25:10 Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.
25:11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?"
25:12 David's men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word.
25:13 David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
25:14 One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail
25:15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.
25:16 Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.
25:17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him."
25:18 Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
25:19 Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I"ll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
25:20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them.
25:21 David had just said, "It's been useless-- all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good.
25:22 May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!"
25:23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.
25:24 She fell at his feet and said
25:25 May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name-- his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent.
25:26 "Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal.
25:27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you.
25:28 Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live.
25:29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.
25:30 When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel,
25:31 my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant."
25:32 David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me.
25:33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.
25:34 Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak."
25:35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, "Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request."
25:36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak.
25:37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.
25:38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died.
25:39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal's wrongdoing down on his own head." Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.
25:40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, "David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife."
25:41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, "Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master's servants."
25:42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David's messengers and became his wife.
25:43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.
25:44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
26:1 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?"
26:2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David.
26:3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there,
26:4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
26:5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
26:6 David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?" "I"ll go with you," said Abishai.
26:7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
26:8 Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won"t strike him twice."
26:9 But David said to Abishai, "Don"t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?
26:10 As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
26:11 But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go."
26:12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.
26:13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.
26:14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren"t you going to answer me, Abner?" Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?"
26:15 David said, "You"re a man, aren"t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn"t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.
26:16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD's anointed. Look around you. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?"
26:17 Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?" David replied, "Yes it is, my lord the king."
26:18 And he added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?
26:19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant's words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD's inheritance and have said, "Go, serve other gods."
26:20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea-- as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."
26:21 Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly."
26:22 "Here is the king's spear," David answered. "Let one of your young men come over and get it.
26:23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed.
26:24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble."
26:25 Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

  Luke 12


12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying
12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
12:3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
12:4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear
12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don"t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
12:8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
12:9 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
12:11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
12:13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
12:14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"
12:15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
12:16 And he told them this parable
12:17 He thought to himself, "What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops."
12:18 "Then he said, "This is what I"ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
12:19 And I"ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.""
12:20 "But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"
12:21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples
12:23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
12:24 Consider the ravens
12:25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
12:26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
12:27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
12:28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
12:29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
12:30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
12:32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
12:35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
12:36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
12:37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
12:38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
12:39 But understand this
12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
12:41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"
12:42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
12:43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
12:44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
12:45 But suppose the servant says to himself, "My master is taking a long time in coming," and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
12:46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
12:47 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
12:48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
12:49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
12:50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!
12:51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
12:52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
12:53 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."
12:54 He said to the crowd
12:55 And when the south wind blows, you say, "It's going to be hot," and it is.
12:56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don"t know how to interpret this present time?
12:57 "Why don"t you judge for yourselves what is right?
12:58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
12:59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."