1 Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,
2 he said to the prophet Nathan, “Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?”
3 And Nathan said to the king: “Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.”
4 But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place?
6 For I have not lived in a house from the day that I led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt, even to this day. Instead, I have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent.
7 And in all the places that I have crossed through, with all the sons of Israel, did I ever speak a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I instructed to pasture my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’
8 And now, so shall you speak to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, so that you would be the leader over my people Israel.
9 And I have been with you everywhere that you walked. And I have slain all your enemies before your face. And I have made you a great name, beside the name of the great ones who are upon the earth.
10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall live there, and they shall no longer be disturbed. Neither shall the sons of iniquity continue to afflict them as before,
11 from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you.
12 And when your days will have been fulfilled, and you will sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will go forth from your loins, and I will make firm his kingdom.
13 He himself shall build a house to my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom, even forever.
14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men.
15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.
16 And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’ “
17 According to all these words, and according to this entire vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
18 Then king David entered and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you would bring me to this point?
19 Moreover, this has seemed little in your sight, O Lord God, unless you also will speak about the house of your servant for a long time. For this is the law of Adam, O Lord God.
20 Therefore, what more will David be able to say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God.
21 Because of your word, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great deeds, so that you would make it known to your servant.
22 For this reason, you are magnified, O Lord God. For there is no one like you. And there is no God except you, in all the things that we have heard with our own ears.
23 But what nation is there upon the earth like your people Israel, because of whom God went forth, so that he might redeem a people for himself, and establish a name for himself, and accomplish for them great and terrible things upon the earth, before the face of your people, whom you redeemed for yourself away Egypt, the nations and their gods.
24 For you have secured your people Israel for yourself, as an everlasting people. And you, O Lord God, have become their God.
25 Now therefore, O Lord God, raise up forever the word that you have spoken over your servant and over his house. And do just as you have said,
26 so that your name may be magnified even forever, and so that it may be said: ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And the house of your servant David will be established in the sight of the Lord.
27 For you, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to the ear of your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Because of this, your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28 Now therefore, O Lord God, you are God, and your words shall be true. For you have spoken to your servant these good things.
29 Therefore, begin, and bless the house of your servant, so that it may be forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken. And so, let the house of your servant be blessed with your blessing forever.”
1 Now after these things, it happened that David struck the Philistines, and he humbled them. And David took the bridle of tribute from the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he struck Moab, and he measured them with a line, leveling them to the ground. Now he measured with two lines, one to kill, and one to keep alive. And Moab was made to serve David under tribute.
3 And David struck Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah, when he set out to rule over the river Euphrates.
4 And from his troops, David seized one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And he cut the sinew of the leg in all the chariot horses. But he left aside enough of them for one hundred chariots.
5 And the Syrians of Damascus arrived, so that they might bring reinforcements to Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. And David struck down twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.
6 And David positioned a garrison in Syria of Damascus. And Syria served David under tribute. And the Lord assisted David in all things whatsoever that he set out to accomplish.
7 And David took the armbands of gold, which the servants of Hadadezer had, and he brought them to Jerusalem.
8 And from Betah and Beeroth, cities of Hadadezer, king David took an exceedingly great amount of brass.
9 Then Toi, the king of Hamath, heard that David had struck down the entire strength of Hadadezer.
10 And so, Toi sent his son Joram to king David, so that he might greet him with congratulations, and give thanks, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had struck him down. For indeed, Toi was the enemy of Hadadezer. And in his hand were vessels of gold, and vessels of silver, and vessels of brass.
11 And king David also sanctified these things to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had sanctified from all the peoples whom he had subdued:
12 from Syria, and Moab, and the sons Ammon, and the Philistines, and Amalek, and from the best spoils of Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah.
13 David also made a name for himself when he returned from seizing Syria, in the Valley of the Salt Pits, having cut down eighteen thousand.
14 And he positioned guards in Edom, and he stationed a garrison. And all of Edom was made to serve David. And the Lord assisted David in all things whatsoever that he set out to accomplish.
15 And David reigned over all of Israel. And David accomplished judgment and justice with all his people.
16 Now Joab, the son Zeruiah, was over the army. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.
17 And Zadok, the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, were the priests. And Seraiah was the scribe.
18 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and Pelethites. But the sons of David were priests.
1 And David said, “Do you think that there could be anyone left from the house of Saul, so that I might show mercy to him because of Jonathan?”
2 Now there was, from the house of Saul, a servant named Ziba. And when the king had called him to himself, he said to him, “Are you not Ziba?” And he responded, “I am your servant.”
3 And the king said, “Could there be anyone alive from the house of Saul, so that I may show the mercy of God to him?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is left alive a son of Jonathan, with disabled feet.”
4 Where is he? he said. And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.”
5 Therefore, king David sent and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6 And when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell upon his face, and he reverenced. And David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he responded, “Your servant is here.”
7 And David said to him: “Do not be afraid. For I will certainly show mercy to you because of your father Jonathan. And I will restore to you all the fields of your father Saul. And you shall eat bread at my table always.”
8 And reverencing him, he said, “Who am I, your servant, that you should look with favor upon a dead dog like me?”
9 And so, the king called Ziba, the servant of Saul, and he said to him: “Everything whatsoever that belonged to Saul, and his entire house, I have given to the son of your lord.
10 And so, work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants. And you shall bring in food for the son of your lord, for nourishment. And Mephibosheth, the son of your lord, shall always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Ziba said to the king: “Just as my lord has ordered your servant, so will your servant do. And Mephibosheth shall eat at my table, like one of the sons of the king.”
12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. Truly, all the kindred of the house of Ziba served Mephibosheth.
13 But Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. For he was fed always from the table of the king. And he was lame in both feet.
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1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 Why is it that you circulate among yourselves this parable, as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: ‘The fathers ate a bitter grape, and the teeth of the sons have been affected.’
3 As I live, says the Lord God, this parable shall no longer be a proverb for you in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine. Just as the soul of the father is mine, so also is the soul of the son. The soul that sins, the same shall die.
5 And if a man is just, and he accomplishes judgment and justice,
6 and if he does not eat upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and if he has not violated the wife of his neighbor, nor approached a menstruating woman,
7 and if he has not grieved any man, but has restored the collateral to the debtor, if he has seized nothing by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,
8 if he has not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase, if he has averted his hand from iniquity, and has executed true judgment between man and man,
9 if he has walked in my precepts and kept my judgments, so that he acts in accord with truth, then he is just; he shall certainly live, says the Lord God.
10 But if he raises a son who is a robber, who sheds blood, and who does any of these things,
11 (even though he himself does not do any of these things,) and who eats upon the mountains, and who defiles the wife of his neighbor,
12 who grieves the needy and the poor, who seizes with violence, who does not restore the collateral, and who lifts up his eyes to idols, committing abomination,
13 who lends upon usury, and who takes an increase, then shall he live? He shall not live. Since he has done all these detestable things, he shall certainly die. His blood shall be upon him.
14 But if he raises a son, who, seeing all his father’s sins that he has done, is afraid and so does not act in a way similar to him,
15 who does not eat upon the mountains, nor lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and who does not violate the wife of his neighbor,
16 and who has not grieved any man, nor withheld the collateral, nor seized by violence, but instead has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,
17 who has averted his hand from injuring the poor, who has not taken usury and an overabundance, who has acted according to my judgments and walked in my precepts, then this one shall not die for the iniquity of his father; instead, he shall certainly live.
18 As for his father, because he oppressed and did violence to his brother, and worked evil in the midst of his people, behold, he has died by his own iniquity.
19 And you say, ‘Why has not the son borne the iniquity of the father?’ Clearly, since the son has worked judgment and justice, has observed all my precepts, and has done them, he shall certainly live.
17 Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.
18 Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.
19 Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.
20 Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.
21 Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.
22 Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.
23 Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.
1 Therefore, Pilate then took Jesus into custody and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers, plaiting a crown of thorns, imposed it on his head. And they put a purple garment around him.
3 And they were approaching him and saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly.
4 Then Pilate went outside again, and he said to them: “Behold, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may realize that I find no case against him.”
5 (Then Jesus went out, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he said to them, “Behold the man.”
6 Therefore, when the high priests and the attendants had seen him, they cried out, saying: “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them: “Take him yourselves and crucify him. For I find no case against him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to the law, he ought to die, for he has made himself the Son of God.”
8 Therefore, when Pilate had heard this word, he was more fearful.
9 And he entered into the praetorium again. And he said to Jesus. “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no response.
10 Therefore, Pilate said to him: “Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to crucify you, and I have authority to release you?”
11 Jesus responded, “You would not have any authority over me, unless it were given to you from above. For this reason, he who has handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 And from then on, Pilate was seeking to release him. But the Jews were crying out, saying: “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. For anyone who makes himself a king contradicts Caesar.”
13 Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus outside, and he sat down in the seat of judgment, in a place which is called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, it is called the Elevation.
14 Now it was the preparation day of the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your king.”
15 But they were crying out: “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests responded, “We have no king except Caesar.”
16 Therefore, he then handed him over to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away.
17 And carrying his own cross, he went forth to the place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew it is called the Place of the Skull.
18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.
19 Then Pilate also wrote a title, and he set it above the cross. And it was written: JESUS THE NAZARENE, KING OF THE JEWS.
20 Therefore, many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was close to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin.
21 Then the high priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Do not write, ‘King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’
22 Pilate responded, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified him, took his garments, and they made four parts, one part to each soldier, and the tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven from above throughout the whole.
24 Then they said to one another, “Let us not cut it, but instead let us cast lots over it, to see whose it will be.” This was so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, saying: “They have distributed my garments among themselves, and for my vesture they have cast lots.” And indeed, the soldiers did these things.
25 And standing beside the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, and Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
