American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was {In 1 Chronicles 8:34; 9:40, Merib-baal.}Mephibosheth.
And they heard the {Or, sound}voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the {Hebrew: wind.}cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden.
No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.
All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not;
but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, {Or, by his love toward him}for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Now all the {See marginal note on chapter 3:12.}publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
And he spake unto them this parable, saying,
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.
Or what woman having ten {Greek: drachma, a coin worth about eight pence, or sixteen cents.}pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?
And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of {Greek: the.}thy substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain {Many ancient authorities read have been filled.}have filled his belly with {Greek: the pods of the carob tree.}the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:
I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and {Greek: kissed him much. See chapter 7:38, 45.}kissed him.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son {Some ancient authorities add make me as one of thy hired servants. See verse 19.}.
But the father said to his {Greek: bondservants.}servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be.
And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him.
But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, {Greek: Child.}Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together {Some ancient authorities read in Christ.}with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:
that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus:
If ye died with Christ from the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.
Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know {Or, law}the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?
For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the {Greek: passions of sins.}sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through {Or, law}the law: for I had not known {Or, lust}coveting, except the law had said, {Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:21}Thou shalt not {Or, lust}covet:
but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of {Or, lust}coveting: for apart from {Or, law}the law sin is dead.
And I was alive apart from {Or, law}the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;
and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:
for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.
So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; — that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I {Greek: work.}do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.
But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good.
So now it is no more I that {Greek: work.}do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to {Greek: work.}do that which is good is not.
For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise.
But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that {Greek: work.}do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.
I find then {Or, in regard of the law Compare verse 12, 14.}the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present.
For I delight {Greek: with.}in the law of God after the inward man:
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity {Greek: in. Many ancient authorities read to.}under the law of sin which is in my members.
Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of {Or, this body of death}the body of this death?
{Many ancient authorities read But thanks be to God. Compare chapter 6:17.}I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
And when the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
Now when Joab saw that {Hebrew: the face of the battle was against.}the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
and the rest of the people he committed into the hand of {Hebrew: Abshai.}Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good.
So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
And {In chapter 8:3, Hadadeser.}Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.
And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.
And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born {Or, from above See verse 31, chapter 19:11; James 1:17; 3:15,17}anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born {Or, from above See verse 31, chapter 19:11; James 1:17; 3:15,17}anew.
{Or, The Spirit breatheth}The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, {Many ancient authorities omit who is in heaven.}who is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;
that whosoever {Or, believeth in him may have}believeth may in him have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
For every one that {Or, practiseth}doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be {Or, convicted}reproved.
But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, {Or, because}that they have been wrought in God.
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there {Greek: were many waters}was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
For John was not yet cast into prison.
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying.
And they came unto John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: {Some ancient authorities read he that cometh from heaven beareth witness of what he hath seen and heard.}he that cometh from heaven is above all.
What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness.
He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true.
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that {Or, believeth not}obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.
And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
And it came to pass at the end of {According to Syriac and some ancient editions of Septuagint Version, four.}forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron.
For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in {Hebrew: Aram.}Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will {Or, worship}serve Jehovah.
And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything.
And Absalom {Or, sent Ahithophel}sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they tarried {Or, at the Far House}in Beth-merhak.
And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; return to thine own place.
Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with thee.
And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.
And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
The king said also unto Zadok the priest, {Or, Seest thou?}Art thou not a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
See, I will tarry {Another reading is, in the plains.}at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.
And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top of the ascent, {Or, where he was wont to worship God}where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto me:
but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye shall hear.
So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
And when David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a {Or, skin}bottle of wine.
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.
And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the {Or, presence}coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore {Or, exhort chapter 5:11.}comfort one another with these words.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
{Or, because our gospel & c.}how that our {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much {Or, fulness}assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.
And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.