Today’s
Reading : 1Samuel 1 – 2 and Acts 24 (KJV)
1Samuel 1
1Sa
1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of
Jeroham, the son of Elihu,
the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph,
an Ephrathite.
1Sa 1:2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had
children, but Hannah had no children.
1Sa 1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly
to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons
of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
the priests of the LORD, were there.
1Sa 1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah
his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
1Sa 1:5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for
he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for
to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:7 And as
he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she
provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
1Sa 1:8 Then said Elkanah
her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why
eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
1Sa 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in
Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post
of the temple of the LORD.
1Sa 1:10 And she was
in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
1Sa 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of
hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine
handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine
handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man
child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there
shall no razor come upon his head.
1Sa 1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying
before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
1Sa 1:13 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her
lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been
drunken.
1Sa 1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be
drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
1Sa 1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk
neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
1Sa 1:16 Count not thine
handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and
grief have I spoken hitherto.
1Sa 1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and
the God of Israel grant thee thy
petition that thou hast asked of him.
1Sa 1:18 And she said, Let thine
handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and
her countenance was no more sad.
1Sa 1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and
worshiped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
1Sa 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was
come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name
Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him
of the LORD.
1Sa 1:21 And the man Elkanah,
and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his
vow.
1Sa 1:22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her
husband, I will
not go
up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before
the LORD, and there abide forever.
1Sa 1:23 And Elkanah her
husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good;
tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the
woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
1Sa 1:24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up
with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of
flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in
Shiloh: and the child was young.
1Sa 1:25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the
child to Eli.
1Sa 1:26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my
lord, I am the woman that stood by thee
here, praying unto the LORD.
1Sa 1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath
given me my petition which I asked of him:
1Sa 1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD.
And he worshiped the LORD there.
1Samuel 2
1Sa
2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my
mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
1Sa 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is
none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
1Sa 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the
LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him
actions are weighed.
1Sa 2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded
with strength.
1Sa 2:5 They that were
full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were
hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many
children is waxed feeble.
1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth,
and maketh alive: he bringeth
down to the grave, and bringeth up.
1Sa 2:7 The LORD maketh
poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth
low, and lifteth up.
1Sa 2:8 He raiseth up the
poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the
throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are
the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
1Sa 2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the
wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
1Sa 2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken
to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the
ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn
of his anointed.
1Sa 2:11 And Elkanah went to
Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the
priest.
1Sa 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
1Sa 2:13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that,
when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was
in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his
hand;
1Sa 2:14 And he struck it
into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook
brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the
Israelites that came thither.
1Sa 2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's
servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the
priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
1Sa 2:16 And if
any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as
much as thy soul desireth;
then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
1Sa 2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great
before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
1Sa 2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
1Sa 2:19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat,
and brought it to him from year to year,
when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
1Sa 2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah
and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan
which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
1Sa 2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she
conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew
before the LORD.
1Sa 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his
sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.
1Sa 2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things?
for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
1Sa 2:24 Nay, my sons; for it
is no good report that I hear: ye make
the LORD's people to transgress.
1Sa 2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge
shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the
LORD would slay them.
1Sa 2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour
both with the LORD, and also with men.
1Sa 2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and
said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly
appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's
house?
1Sa 2:28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of
Israel to be
my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before
me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire
of the children of Israel?
1Sa 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine
offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest
of all the offerings of Israel my people?
1Sa 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that
thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now
the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour
me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
1Sa 2:31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there
shall not be an old man in thine house.
1Sa 2:32 And thou shalt see
an enemy in my
habitation, in all the wealth which God
shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine
house forever.
1Sa 2:33 And the man of thine,
whom I shall not cut off from mine
altar, shall be
to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine
house shall die in the flower of their age.
1Sa 2:34 And this shall
be a sign unto thee, that shall come
upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas;
in one day they shall die both of them.
1Sa 2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is
in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall
walk before mine anointed forever.
1Sa 2:36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and
crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put
me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of
bread.
Acts 24
Act
24:1 And after five days Ananias the high priest
descended with the elders, and with a
certain orator named Tertullus,
who informed the governor against Paul.
Act 24:2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him,
saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy
deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
Act 24:3 We accept it
always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Act 24:4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further
tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest
hear us of thy clemency a few words.
Act 24:5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow,
and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a
ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Act 24:6 Who also hath gone about to profane the
temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
Act 24:7 But the chief captain Lysias
came upon us,
and with great violence took him away
out of our hands,
Act 24:8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by
examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of
all these things, whereof we accuse him.
Act 24:9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these
things were so.
Act 24:10 Then Paul, after that the governor had
beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been
of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for
myself:
Act 24:11 Because that thou mayest
understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for
to worship.
Act 24:12 And they neither found me in the temple
disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues,
nor in the city:
Act 24:13 Neither can they prove the things whereof
they now accuse me.
Act 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the
way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all
things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Act 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they
themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of
the just and unjust.
Act 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have
always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward
men.
Act 24:17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to
my nation, and offerings.
Act 24:18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me
purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Act 24:19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and
object, if they had aught against me.
Act 24:20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in
me, while I stood before the council,
Act 24:21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried
standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in
question by you this day.
Act 24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having
more perfect knowledge of that way, he
deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief
captain shall come down, I will know the uttmost of
your matter.
Act 24:23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul,
and to let him have liberty, and that he
should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
Act 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with
his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him
concerning the faith in Christ.
Act 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for
this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
Act 24:26 He hoped also that money should have been
given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the more
often, and communed with him.
Act 24:27 But after two years Porcius
Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure,
left Paul bound.