Jesus Before the Council

53 ^xAnd they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council¹ were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony ^ydid not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will ^zdestroy this ^atemple that is made with hands, and in ^bthree days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”² 61 But he remained ^csilent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ^d“Are you ^ethe Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, ^f“I am, and you will see ^gthe Son of Man ^hseated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as ⁱdeserving death. 65 And some began to ^jspit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

1 O foolish Galatians! ^uWho has bewitched you? It was ^vbefore your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you ^wreceive the Spirit by works of the law or by ^xhearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? ^yHaving begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by¹ the flesh? 4 Did you suffer² so many things ^zin vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and ^aworks ^bmiracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham ^c“believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

7 Know then that ^dit is ^ethose of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that ^fGod would justify³ the Gentiles by faith, ^gpreached the gospel ^hbeforehand to Abraham, saying, ⁱ“In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

10 For all who rely on works of the law are ^junder a curse; for it is written, ^k“Cursed be everyone who does not abide by ^lall things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that ^mno one is justified before God by the law, for ⁿ“The righteous shall live by faith.”⁴ 12 But the law is not of faith, rather ^o“The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ ^predeemed us from the curse of the law by ^qbecoming a curse for us—for it is written, ^r“Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a ^stree”— 14 ^tso that in Christ Jesus the ^ublessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive ^vthe promised Spirit⁵ through faith.

The Righteous Will Never Be Moved

Amnon and Tamar

1 Now ^zAbsalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was ^aTamar. And after a time ^bAmnon, David’s son, loved her. 2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of ^cShimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, ^dmy sister.” 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate¹ me, for such a thing ^eis not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.”² But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18 Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves,³ for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar ^fput ashes on her head and ^gtore the long robe that she wore. And she ^hlaid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20 And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a ⁱdesolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.⁴ 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Murders Amnon

23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his ^jmule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31 Then the king arose and ^ktore his garments and ^llay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him⁵ by the side of the mountain. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to ^mTalmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king⁶ longed to go out⁷ to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.