1 Samuel 27; 1 Samuel 28; 1 Samuel 29; Luke 13:1-22

1 David said to himself, "One of these days I'll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me everywhere in Israel, and I'll escape from him."

2 So David set out with his 600 men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.

3 David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.

4 When it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

5 Now David said to Achish, "If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

6 That day Achish gave Ziklag to him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today.

7 The time that David stayed in the Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.

8 David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. From ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur as far as the land of Egypt.

9 Whenever David attacked the land, he did not leave a single person alive, either man or woman, but he took flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he came back to Achish,

10 who inquired, "Where did you raid today?" David replied, "The south country of Judah," "The south country of the Jerahmeelites," or "Against the south country of the Kenites."

11 David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, "Or they will inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.' " This was David's custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory.

12 So Achish trusted David, thinking, "Since he has made himself detestable to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever."

1 At that time, the Philistines brought their military units together into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, "You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army with me."

2 David replied to Achish, "Good, you will find out what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard."

3 By this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city, and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

4 The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid and trembled violently.

6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.

7 Saul then said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her." His servants replied, "There is a woman at Endor who is a medium."

8 Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you."

9 But the woman said to him, "You surely know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?"

10 Then Saul swore to her by the Lord: "As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you because of this."

11 "Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?" the woman asked. "Bring up Samuel for me," he answered.

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, "Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!"

13 But the king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" "I see a spirit form coming up out of the earth," the woman answered.

14 Then Saul asked her, "What does he look like?" "An old man is coming up," she replied. "He's wearing a robe." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Samuel asked Saul. "I'm in serious trouble," replied Saul. "The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He doesn't answer me any more, either through the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what I should do."

16 Samuel answered, "Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me?

17 The Lord has done exactly what He said through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.

18 You did not obey the Lord and did not carry out His wrath against Amalek; therefore the Lord has done this to you today.

19 The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the Lord will hand Israel's army over to the Philistines."

20 Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel's words and was also weak because he hadn't had any food all day and all night.

21 The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, "Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me [to do].

22 Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way."

23 He refused, saying, "I won't eat," but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

24 The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.

25 She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Afterwards, they got up and left that night.

1 The Philistines brought all their military units together at Aphek while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine leaders were passing [in review with their units of] hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing [in review] behind them with Achish.

3 Then the Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews [doing here]?" Achish answered the Philistine commanders, "That is David, servant of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me a considerable period of time. From the day he defected until today, I've found no fault with him."

4 The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, "Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle. What better way could he regain his master's favor than with the heads of our men?

5 Isn't this the David they sing about during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?"

6 So Achish summoned David and told him, "As the Lord lives, you are an honorable man. I think it is good to have you working with me in the camp, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today. But the leaders don't think you are reliable.

7 Now go back quietly and you won't be doing [anything] the Philistine leaders think is wrong."

8 "But what have I done?" David replied to Achish. "From the first day I was with you until today, what have you found against your servant to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

9 Achish answered David, "I'm convinced that you are as reliable as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go into battle with us.'

10 So get up early in the morning, you and your masters' servants who came with you. When you've all gotten up early, go as soon as it's light."

11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 At that time, some people came and reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 And He responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things?

3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!

4 Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed-do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!"

6 And He told this parable: "A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none.

7 He told the vineyard worker, 'Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?'

8 "But he replied to him, 'Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

9 Perhaps it will bear fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.' "

10 As He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath,

11 a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for over 18 years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.

12 When Jesus saw her, He called out to her, "Woman, you are free of your disability."

13 Then He laid His hands on her, and instantly she was restored and began to glorify God.

14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded by telling the crowd, "There are six days when work should be done; therefore come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath day."

15 But the Lord answered him and said, "Hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water?

16 Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for 18 years-shouldn't she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"

17 When He had said these things, all His adversaries were humiliated, but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things He was doing.

18 He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like, and what can I compare it to?

19 It's like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches."

20 Again He said, "What can I compare the kingdom of God to?

21 It's like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through the entire mixture."

22 He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making His way to Jerusalem.