Mark 6:30-56; 2 Samuel 16; Daniel 10

Mark 6:30-56

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught.

31 He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while." For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place,

33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

34 So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.

35 When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, "This place is a wilderness, and it is already late!

36 Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat."

37 "You give them something to eat," He responded. They said to Him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"

38 And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look." When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

39 Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40 So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties.

41 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

42 Everyone ate and was filled.

43 Then they picked up 12 baskets full of pieces of bread and fish.

44 Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.

46 After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray.

47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.

48 He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.

49 When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out;

50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,

52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and beached the boat.

54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Him.

55 They hurried throughout that vicinity and began to carry the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard He was.

56 Wherever He would go, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch just the tassel of His robe. And everyone who touched it was made well.

2 Samuel 16

1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 [bunches] of summer fruit, and a skin of wine.

2 The king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who become exhausted to drink in the desert."

3 "Where is your master's son?" the king asked. "Why, he's staying in Jerusalem," Ziba replied to the king, "for he said, 'Today, the house of Israel will restore my father's kingdom to me.' "

4 The king said to Ziba, "All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!" "I bow [before you]," Ziba said. "May you look favorably on me, my lord the king!"

5 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached.

6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal servants, the people and the warriors on David's right and left.

7 Shimei said as he cursed: "Get out, get out, you worthless murderer!

8 The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you rule, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you're a murderer!"

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"

10 The king replied, "Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses [me] this way because the Lord told him, 'Curse David!' Therefore, who can say, 'Why did you do that?' "

11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life-how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse [me]; the Lord has told him to.

12 Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei's curses today."

13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed [David], and threw stones and dirt at him.

14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived exhausted, so they rested there.

15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him.

16 When David's friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

17 "Is this your loyalty to your friend?" Absalom asked Hushai. "Why didn't you go with your friend?"

18 "Not at all," Hushai answered Absalom. "I am on the side of the one that the Lord, the people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him.

19 Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father's presence, I will also serve in yours."

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give [me] your advice. What should we do?"

21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, "Sleep with your father's concubines he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged."

22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God-such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel's advice.

Daniel 10

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.

3 I didn't eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn't put any oil [on my body] until the three weeks were over.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

5 I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.

6 His body was like topaz, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision. The men who were with me did not see it, but a great terror fell on them, and they ran and hid.

8 I was left alone, looking at this great vision. No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,and I was powerless.

9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and raised me to my hands and knees.

11 He said to me, "Daniel, you are a man treasured [by God]. Understand the words that I'm saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you." After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

12 "Don't be afraid, Daniel," he said to me, "for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days."

15 While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.

16 Suddenly one with human likeness touched my lips. I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, "My lord, because of the vision, I am overwhelmed and powerless.

17 How can someone like me, your servant, speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me."

18 Then the one with human likeness touched me again and strengthened me.

19 He said, "Don't be afraid, you who are treasured [by God]. Peace to you; be very strong!" As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

20 He said, "Do you know why I've come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.

21 No one has the courage to support me against them except Michael, your prince. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth.