¹Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?” ²So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. ³Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.” ⁴And the priest answered David and said, “There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.” ⁵Then David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was sanctified in the vessel this day.” ⁶So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lᴏʀᴅ, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away. ⁷Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lᴏʀᴅ. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. ⁸And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” ⁹So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” ¹⁰Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. ¹¹And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” ¹²Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. ¹³So he changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. ¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? ¹⁵Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

¹David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ²And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. ³Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” ⁴So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. ⁵Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. ⁶When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him— ⁷then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? ⁸All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.” ⁹Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. ¹⁰And he inquired of the Lᴏʀᴅ for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” ¹¹So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. ¹²And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?” ¹⁴So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? ¹⁵Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.” ¹⁶And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” ¹⁷Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lᴏʀᴅ, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lᴏʀᴅ. ¹⁸And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. ¹⁹Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword. ²⁰Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. ²¹And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lᴏʀᴅ’s priests. ²²So David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house. ²³Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”

¹And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ²I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? ⁴For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? ⁵Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? ⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. ¹⁶Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. ¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” ²¹Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. ²³And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

¹Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. ²On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lᴏʀᴅ was upon him there. ⁴Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. ⁶Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. ⁸The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. ⁹Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward. ¹⁰As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. ¹²And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went. ¹³As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. ¹⁴And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning. ¹⁵Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. ¹⁶The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. ¹⁷When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. ¹⁸As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. ¹⁹When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. ²⁰Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²²The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. ²³And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. ²⁴When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings. ²⁶And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. ²⁷Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. ²⁸Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lᴏʀᴅ.So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

¹A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. ³Trust in the Lᴏʀᴅ, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴Delight yourself also in the Lᴏʀᴅ, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵Commit your way to the Lᴏʀᴅ, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. ⁶He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. ⁷Rest in the Lᴏʀᴅ, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. ⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. ⁹For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lᴏʀᴅ, They shall inherit the earth. ¹⁰For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more. ¹¹But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. ¹²The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. ¹³The Lᴏʀᴅ laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. ¹⁴The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. ¹⁵Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. ¹⁶A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. ¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lᴏʀᴅ upholds the righteous. ¹⁸The Lᴏʀᴅ knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. ¹⁹They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. ²⁰But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lᴏʀᴅ, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. ²¹The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. ²²For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. ²³The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lᴏʀᴅ, And He delights in his way. ²⁴Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lᴏʀᴅ upholds him with His hand. ²⁵I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. ²⁶He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. ²⁷Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. ²⁸For the Lᴏʀᴅ loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. ²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. ³⁰The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. ³¹The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. ³²The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him. ³³The Lᴏʀᴅ will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. ³⁴Wait on the Lᴏʀᴅ, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. ³⁵I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree. ³⁶Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. ³⁷Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace. ³⁸But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. ³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lᴏʀᴅ; He is their strength in the time of trouble. ⁴⁰And the Lᴏʀᴅ shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.