Mark 1:21-45; 2 Samuel 3:2-39; Daniel 2:1-23

Mark 1:21-45

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and right away He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.

22 They were astonished at His teaching because, unlike the scribes, He was teaching them as one having authority.

23 Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out,

24 "What do You have to do with us, Jesus-Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!"

25 But Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

26 And the unclean spirit convulsed him, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27 Then they were all amazed, so they began to argue with one another, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."

28 His fame then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew's house with James and John.

30 Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.

31 So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

33 The whole town was assembled at the door,

34 and He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.

36 Simon and his companions went searching for Him.

37 They found Him and said, "Everyone's looking for You!"

38 And He said to them, "Let's go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come."

39 So He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to Him and, on his knees, begged Him: "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. "I am willing," He told him. "Be made clean."

42 Immediately the disease left him, and he was healed.

43 Then He sternly warned him and sent him away at once,

44 telling him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."

45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

2 Samuel 3:2-39

2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite;

3 his second was Chileab, by Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

4 the fourth was Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, son of Abital;

5 the sixth was Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul.

7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"

8 Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth's accusation. "Am I a dog's head who belongs to Judah?" he asked. "All this time I've been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven't handed you over to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!

9 May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don't do for David what the Lord swore to him:

10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba."

11 Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner because he was afraid of him.

12 Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to hand all Israel over to you."

13 David replied, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there's one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal here when you come to see me."

14 Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, "Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins."

15 So Ish-bosheth sent someone to take her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.

16 Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Abner said to him, "Go back." So he went back.

17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: "In the past you wanted David to be king over you.

18 Now take action, because the Lord has spoken concerning David: 'Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel's enemies.' "

19 Abner also informed the Benjaminites and went to Hebron to inform David about all that was agreed on by Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

20 When Abner and 20 men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.

21 Abner said to David, "Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you, and you will rule over all you desire." So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

22 Just then David's soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace.

23 When Joab and all his army arrived, Joab was informed, "Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace."

24 Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he's getting away.

25 You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your activities and everything you're doing."

26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David was unaware of it.

27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, Joab's brother.

28 David heard [about it] later and said: "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.

29 May it hang over Joab's head and his father's whole house, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has an infection or leprosy or a man who can only work a spindle or someone who falls by the sword or starves."

30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

31 David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." And King David walked behind the funeral procession.

32 When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept,

33 and the king sang a lament for Abner: Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 Your hands were not bound, your feet not placed in bronze [shackles]. You fell like one who falls victim to criminals. And all the people wept over him even more.

35 Then they came to urge David to eat bread while it was still day, but David took an oath: "May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!"

36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.

37 On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.

38 Then the king said to his soldiers, "You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today.

39 As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil!"

Daniel 2:1-23

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him, and sleep deserted him.

2 So the king gave orders to summon the diviner-priests, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

3 he said to them, "I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it."

4 The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic begins here): "May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."

5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, "My word is final: If you don't tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump.

6 But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you'll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So make the dream and its interpretation known to me."

7 They answered a second time, "May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation."

8 The king replied, "I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final.

9 If you don't tell me the dream, there is one decree for you. You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation."

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, "No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any diviner-priest, medium, or Chaldean.

11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals."

12 Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

14 Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

15 He asked Arioch, the king's officer, "Why is the decree from the king so harsh?" Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.

16 So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter,

18 [urging] them to ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of Babylon's wise men.

19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of heaven

20 and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.

21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.

23 I offer thanks and praise to You, God of my fathers, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have let me know what we asked of You, for You have let us know the king's mystery.