Old/New Testament
Nathan the Prophet Confronts David
12 So the Lord sent Nathan[a] to David. When he came to David,[b] Nathan[c] said,[d] “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children.[e] It used to[f] eat his food,[g] drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms.[h] It was just like a daughter to him.
4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home,[i] he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed[j] the traveler who had come to visit him.[k] Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked[l] it for the man who had come to visit him.”
5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die![m] 6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!”[n]
7 Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘I chose[o] you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms.[p] I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 9 Why have you shown contempt for the Lord’s decrees[q] by doing evil in my[r] sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife to be your own wife! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’ 11 This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you[s] from inside your own household![t] Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion.[u] He will go to bed with[v] your wives in broad daylight![w] 12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’”[x]
13 Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven[y] your sin. You are not going to die. 14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt[z] in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
15 Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.[aa] 16 Then David prayed to[ab] God for the child and fasted.[ac] He would even[ad] go and spend the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, “While the child was still alive he would not listen to us[ae] when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!”[af]
19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he[ag] realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.” 20 So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.
21 His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? While[ah] the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!” 22 He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought,[ai] ‘Perhaps[aj] the Lord will show pity and the child will live.’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back at this point? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!”
24 So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He came to her[ak] and went to bed with her.[al] Later she gave birth to a son, and David[am] named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved the child[an] 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah[ao] for the Lord’s sake.
David’s Forces Defeat the Ammonites
26 [ap] So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. 27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city.[aq] 28 So now assemble the rest of the army[ar] and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”
29 So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. 30 He took the crown of their king[as] from his head—it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds,[at] and held a precious stone—and it was placed on David’s head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. 31 He removed[au] the people who were in it and made them labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work[av] at the brick kiln. This was his policy[aw] with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
The Rape of Tamar
13 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.[ax] 2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick[ay] over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.
3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 He asked Amnon,[az] “Why are you, the king’s son,[ba] so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.” 5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick.[bb] When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”
7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched,[bc] and baked them.[bd] 9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!”[be] So everyone left.[bf]
10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me,[bg] my sister!”
12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools[bh] in Israel! Just[bi] speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her.[bj] He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.[bk] 15 Then Amnon greatly despised her.[bl] His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her.[bm] Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”
16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!”[bn] But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight[bo] and lock the door behind her!” 18 (Now she was wearing a long robe,[bp] for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s[bq] attendant removed her and bolted the door[br] behind her. 19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!”[bs] Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.[bt] 22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death
23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work.[bu] Let the king and his servants go with me.”
25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom[bv] pressed[bw] him, the king[bx] was not willing to go. Instead, David[by] blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go,[bz] then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk[ca] and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”[cb] 29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about[cc] from the day that Amnon[cd] humiliated his sister Tamar. 33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west[ce] on a road beside the hill. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said.”
36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.[cf] The king and all his servants wept loudly[cg] as well. 37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David[ch] grieved over his son every day.
38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 39 The king longed[ci] to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.[cj]
The Parable of the Clever Steward
16 Jesus[a] also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations[b] that his manager[c] was wasting[d] his assets. 2 So[e] he called the manager[f] in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you?[g] Turn in the account of your administration,[h] because you can no longer be my manager.’ 3 Then[i] the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position[j] away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig,[k] and I’m too ashamed[l] to beg. 4 I know[m] what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’[n] 5 So[o] he contacted[p] his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man[q] replied, ‘100 measures[r] of olive oil.’ The manager[s] said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’[t] 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man[u] replied, ‘100 measures[v] of wheat.’ The manager[w] said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write 80.’[x] 8 The[y] master commended the dishonest[z] manager because he acted shrewdly.[aa] For the people[ab] of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries[ac] than the people[ad] of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth,[ae] so that when it runs out you will be welcomed[af] into the eternal homes.[ag]
10 “The one who is faithful in a very little[ah] is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy[ai] in handling worldly wealth,[aj] who will entrust you with the true riches?[ak] 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy[al] with someone else’s property,[am] who will give you your own[an] ? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate[ao] the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise[ap] the other. You cannot serve God and money.”[aq]
More Warnings about the Pharisees
14 The Pharisees[ar] (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed[as] him. 15 But[at] Jesus[au] said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes,[av] but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized[aw] among men is utterly detestable[ax] in God’s sight.
16 “The law and the prophets were in force[ay] until John;[az] since then,[ba] the good news of the kingdom of God[bb] has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.[bc] 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a letter[bd] in the law to become void.[be]
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries[bf] someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple[bg] and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously[bh] every day. 20 But at his gate lay[bi] a poor man named Lazarus[bj] whose body was covered with sores,[bk] 21 who longed to eat[bl] what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs[bm] came and licked[bn] his sores.
22 “Now[bo] the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.[bp] The[bq] rich man also died and was buried.[br] 23 And in Hades,[bs] as he was in torment,[bt] he looked up[bu] and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.[bv] 24 So[bw] he called out,[bx] ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus[by] to dip the tip of his finger[bz] in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish[ca] in this fire.’[cb] 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child,[cc] remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.[cd] 26 Besides all this,[ce] a great chasm[cf] has been fixed between us,[cg] so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 So[ch] the rich man[ci] said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus[cj] to my father’s house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn[ck] them so that they don’t come[cl] into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said,[cm] ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to[cn] them.’ 30 Then[co] the rich man[cp] said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead[cq] goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He[cr] replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to[cs] Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”[ct]
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