Bible In A Year

¹It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, Know you assuredly, that you shall go out with me in the host, you and your men. ²David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever. ³Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. ⁴The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. ⁵When Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn't answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. ⁷Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor. ⁸Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you. ⁹The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die? ¹⁰Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. ¹¹Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Samuel. ¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Saul. ¹³The king said to her, Don't be afraid: for what do you see? The woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. ¹⁴He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. ¹⁵Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do. ¹⁶Samuel said, Why then do you ask of me, seeing Yahweh is departed from you, and is become your adversary? ¹⁷Yahweh has done to you, as he spoke by me: and Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. ¹⁸Because you didn't obey the voice of Yahweh, and didn't execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore has Yahweh done this thing to you this day. ¹⁹Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shall you and your sons be with me: Yahweh will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. ²⁰Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. ²¹The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. ²²Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way. ²³But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed. ²⁴The woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread of it: ²⁵and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

¹Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. ²He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, ³"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the gentle, For they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, For they shall be filled. ⁷Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called children of God. ¹⁰Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹¹"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. ¹³"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. ¹⁷"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. ¹⁸For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter{literally, iota} or one tiny pen stroke{or, serif} shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. ¹⁹Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. ²¹"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.' ²²But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca{"Raca" is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for "empty" and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.}!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna{Gehenna is another name for Hell that brings to mind an image of a burning garbage dump with dead bodies in it.}. ²³"If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. ²⁶Most assuredly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.{Literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow's mites)--not enough to buy very much of anything.} ²⁷"You have heard that it was said, {TR adds "to the ancients,"} 'You shall not commit adultery;' ²⁸but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. ³⁰If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not your whole body be thrown into Gehenna. ³¹"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' ³²but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. ³³"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' ³⁴but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; ³⁵nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. ³⁷But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'no.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. ³⁸"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴²Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. ⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁸Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.