David Spares Saul Again

1 ^tThen the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to ^uthe wilderness of Ziph with ^vthree thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with ^wAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within ^xthe encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother ^yAbishai the son of Zeruiah, ^z“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within ^xthe encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground ^aat his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, ^b“God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand ^cagainst the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, ^d“As the Lord lives, ^ethe Lord will strike him, or ^fhis day will come to die, ^gor he will go down into battle and perish. 11 ^hThe Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is ⁱat his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because ^ja deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. ^kAs the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was ^lat his head.”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, ^m“Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, ⁿ“Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, ^ofor they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in ^pthe heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek ^qa single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, ^r“I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 ^sThe Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will ^tsucceed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David Flees to the Philistines

1 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and ^uthe six hundred men who were with him, ^vto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with ^whis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If ^xI have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him ^yZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 ^zAnd the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 Now David ^aand his men went up and made raids against ^bthe Geshurites, ^cthe Girzites, and ^dthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, ^eas far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where have you ^fmade a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of ^gthe Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of ^hthe Kenites.” 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

1 In those days ⁱthe Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now ^jSamuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him ^kin Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put ^lthe mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped ^mat Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped ⁿat Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, ^othe Lord did not answer him, either ^pby dreams, or ^qby Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, ^r“Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at ^sEn-dor.”

8 So Saul ^tdisguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, ^u“Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, ^lhow he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ^v“As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped ^win a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and ^xGod has turned away from me and ^yanswers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for ^zthe Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 ^aBecause you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you ^band your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. ^cI have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1 After this ^jJesus went away to the other side of ^kthe Sea of Galilee, which is ^lthe Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on ^mthe mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now ⁿthe Passover, the ^ofeast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 ^pLifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to ^qPhilip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 ^rPhilip answered him, “Two hundred denarii¹ worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, ^sAndrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five ^tbarley loaves and two fish, but ^twhat are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” ^uNow there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and ^vwhen he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ^w“This is indeed ^xthe Prophet ^ywho is to come into the world!”

15 ^zPerceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus ^awithdrew again to ^bthe mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on Water

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,² they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 ^cBut he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

I Am the Bread of Life

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only ^done boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord ^ehad given thanks. 24 ^fSo when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and ^gwent to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ^h“Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, ⁱyou are seeking me, not because you saw ^jsigns, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 ^kDo not work for the food that perishes, but for ^lthe food that endures to eternal life, which ^mthe Son of Man will give to you. For on ⁿhim God the Father has ^oset his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing ^pthe works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, ^qthat you believe in him whom ^rhe has sent.” 30 So they said to him, ^s“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 ^tOur fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ^u‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is ^vhe who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, ^w“Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, ^x“I am the bread of life; ^ywhoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 ^zAll that ^athe Father gives me will come to me, and ^bwhoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For ^cI have come down from heaven, not to do ^dmy own will but ^dthe will of him ^ewho sent me. 39 And ^fthis is the will of him who sent me, ^gthat I should lose nothing of ^hall that he has given me, but ⁱraise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who ^jlooks on the Son and ^kbelieves in him ^lshould have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, ^m“I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, ⁿ“Is not this Jesus, ^othe son of Joseph, whose father and mother ^pwe know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me ^qdraws him. And ^rI will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ^s‘And they will all be ^ttaught by God.’ ^uEveryone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 ^vnot that anyone has seen the Father except ^whe who is from God; he ^xhas seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, ^ywhoever believes has eternal life. 48 ^zI am the bread of life. 49 ^aYour fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and ^bthey died. 50 ^cThis is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it ^dand not die. 51 I am the living bread ^ethat came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give ^ffor the life of the world is ^gmy flesh.”

52 The Jews then ^hdisputed among themselves, saying, ⁱ“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of ^jthe Son of Man and drink his blood, you ^khave no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood ^lhas eternal life, and ^mI will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood ⁿabides in me, and I in him. 57 As ^othe living Father ^psent me, and ^qI live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 ^rThis is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread³ the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus⁴ said these things in the synagogue, as he taught ^sat Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life

60 ^tWhen many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, ^vknowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see ^wthe Son of Man ^xascending to ^ywhere he was before? 63 ^zIt is the Spirit who gives life; ^athe flesh is no help at all. ^bThe words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But ^cthere are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus ^vknew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and ^dwho it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you ^ethat no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”