2 Samuel 20:2

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.”

They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.

All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal to this day.

When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.”

both low and high, rich and poor together.

Don’t put your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no help.

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.

“You, son of man, take one stick, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’

and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you;

But you who were faithful to Yahweh your God are all alive today.

If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”

Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.

I said in my haste, “All people are liars.”

It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.

All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.

From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.

but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”

Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia,

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,

For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

You shall fear Yahweh your God. You shall serve him. You shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.

but hold fast to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day.

When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.

In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

I will give one tribe to his son, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there.

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.”

You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?’ ”

and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down slain.

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

For now you are nothing. You see a terror, and are afraid.

I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is with people who take advice.

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.

He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.

A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

Man is brought low, and mankind is humbled; therefore don’t forgive them.

Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?

So man is brought low, mankind is humbled, and the eyes of the arrogant ones are humbled;

As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do mischief, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.

those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him.

For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,

who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”

He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”