Friday, December 14, 2012

RIGHTFUL LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKING: according to the Bible


leaders should know justice

Mic 3:1  Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know justice.



lead enthusiastically

Rom 12:8  If it is encouraging others, devote yourself to giving encouragement. If it is sharing, be generous. If it is leadership, lead enthusiastically. If it is helping people in need, help them cheerfully.



leaders' dedication

1Ch 28:8  Now, leaders, I order you in the sight of Israel (the LORD'S congregation) and as our God listens to dedicate your lives to doing everything the LORD your God has commanded. Then you will be able to possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants.



Obey your leaders and follow their orders

Heb 13:17  Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you.



desire to serve

1Pe 5:2  Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don't do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don't do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.



service with humility

1Pe 5:5  Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.



wholehearted service

Col 3:23  Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans.
Col 3:24  You know that your real master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real master, whom you are serving.



Eagerness in serving

Eph 6:7  Serve eagerly as if you were serving your heavenly master and not merely serving human masters.



Use your energy to serve the Lord

Rom 12:11  Don't be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord.



Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies

1Pe 4:11  Whoever speaks must speak God's words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies so that in every way God receives glory through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen.



No one can serve two masters

Mat 6:24  "No one can serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.



Masters, treat your slaves with respect

Eph 6:9  Masters, treat your slaves with respect. Don't threaten a slave. You know that there is one master in heaven who has authority over both of you, and he doesn't play favorites.



Masters, be just and fair to your slaves

Col 4:1  Masters, be just and fair to your slaves because you know that you also have a master in heaven.



Slaves, always obey your earthly masters

Col 3:22  Slaves, always obey your earthly masters. Don't obey them only while you're being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. Be sincere in your motives out of respect for your real master.



show your appreciation for those leaders who work among you and instruct you

1Th 5:12  Brothers and sisters, we ask you to show your appreciation for those leaders who work among you and instruct you.



Give double honor to spiritual leaders who handle their duties well

1Ti 5:17  Give double honor to spiritual leaders who handle their duties well. This is especially true if they work hard at teaching the word of God.



Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you

Heb 13:7  Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you. Think about how their lives turned out, and imitate their faith.



serve each other through love

Gal 5:13  You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don't turn this freedom into an excuse for your corrupt nature to express itself. Rather, serve each other through love.



use your freedom to serve God

1Pe 2:16  Live as free people, but don't hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God.



good manager

1Pe 4:10  Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others.



warning against blind leaders

Mat 15:14  Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit."

Mat 24:5  For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

Mat 24:24  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.



public reprimand of leaders

1Ti 5:20  Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.



freewill in deciding the amount to give

2Co 9:7  Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn't be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since God loves a cheerful giver.



A servant isn't greater than his master

Joh 15:20  Remember what I told you: 'A servant isn't greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they did what I said, they will also do what you say.



Those who serve me must follow me

Joh 12:26  Those who serve me must follow me. My servants will be with me wherever I will be. If people serve me, the Father will honor them.



CHURCH LEADER's qualifications

1Ti 3:1  This is a true saying: If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work.
1Ti 3:2  A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife, be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach;
1Ti 3:3  he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money;
1Ti 3:4  he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect.
1Ti 3:5  For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God?
1Ti 3:6  He must be mature in the faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was.
1Ti 3:7  He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devil's trap.




Church helpers' qualifications

1Ti 3:8  Church helpers must also have a good character and be sincere; they must not drink too much wine or be greedy for money;
1Ti 3:9  they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience.
1Ti 3:10  They should be tested first, and then, if they pass the test, they are to serve.
1Ti 3:11  Their wives also must be of good character and must not gossip; they must be sober and honest in everything.
1Ti 3:12  A church helper must have only one wife, and be able to manage his children and family well.
1Ti 3:13  Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly about their faith in Christ Jesus.




careful assessment, planning, design and consideration

Luk 14:28  "Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it.
Luk 14:29  Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can't finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you.
Luk 14:30  They'll say, 'This person started to build but couldn't finish the job.'
Luk 14:31  "Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers?
Luk 14:32  If he can't, he'll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away.
Luk 14:33  In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.




Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave

Mat 20:25  Jesus called the apostles and said, "You know that the rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people.
Mat 20:26  But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant.
Mat 20:27  Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave.
Mat 20:28  It's the same way with the Son of Man. He didn't come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."




faithful and wise servant

Mat 24:45  "Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? The master will put that person in charge of giving the other servants their food at the right time.
Mat 24:46  That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes.
Mat 24:47  I can guarantee this truth: He will put that servant in charge of all his property.




fair decisions & justice to the poor

Isa 11:2  The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of advice and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
Isa 11:3  He will gladly bear the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear.
Isa 11:4  He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips.
Isa 11:5  Justice will be the belt around his waist. Faithfulness will be the belt around his hips.




Gaining respect through wise & rightful decisions

1Ki 3:23  The king said, "This one keeps saying, 'My son is alive-your son is dead,' and that one keeps saying, 'No! Your son is dead-my son is alive.'"
1Ki 3:24  So the king told his servants to bring him a sword. When they brought it,
1Ki 3:25  he said, "Cut the living child in two. Give half to the one and half to the other."
1Ki 3:26  Then the woman whose son was still alive was deeply moved by her love for the child. She said to the king, "Please, sir, give her the living child. Please don't kill him!" But the other woman said, "He won't be mine or yours. Cut him in two."
1Ki 3:27  The king replied, "Give the living child to the first woman. Don't kill him. She is his mother."
1Ki 3:28  All Israel heard about the decision the king made. They respected the king very highly, because they saw he possessed wisdom from God to do what was right.



the power of unanimous decision

Act 15:23  They wrote this letter for them to deliver: From the apostles and the spiritual leaders, your brothers. To their non-Jewish brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Dear brothers and sisters,
Act 15:24  We have heard that some individuals who came from us have confused you with statements that disturb you. We did not authorize these men to speak.
Act 15:25  So we have come to a unanimous decision that we should choose men and send them to you with our dear Barnabas and Paul.
Act 15:26  Barnabas and Paul have dedicated their lives to our Lord, the one named Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27  We have sent Judas and Silas to report to you on our decision.



If you are sick, call for the church leaders

Jas 5:14  If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the name of the Lord.



decision from the spiritual leaders

Act 15:22  Then the apostles, the spiritual leaders, and the whole church decided to choose some of their men to send with Paul and Barnabas to the city of Antioch. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, who were leaders among the believers.

Act 21:18  The next day Paul went with us to visit James. All the spiritual leaders were present.
Act 21:19  After greeting them, Paul related everything God had done through his work with non-Jewish people.
Act 21:20  When the spiritual leaders heard about everything, they praised God. They said to Paul, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews are now believers, and all of them are deeply committed to Moses' Teachings.
Act 21:21  But they have been told that you teach all the Jews living among non-Jewish people to abandon Moses. They claim that you tell them not to circumcise their children or follow Jewish customs.
Act 21:22  What should we do about this? They will certainly hear that you're in town.
Act 21:23  So follow our advice. We have four men who have made a vow to God.
Act 21:24  Take these men, go through the purification ceremony with them, and pay the expenses to shave their heads. Then everyone will know that what they've been told about you isn't true. Instead, they'll see that you carefully follow Moses' Teachings.
Act 21:25  "To clarify this matter, we have written non-Jewish believers a letter with our decision. We told them that they should not eat food sacrificed to false gods, bloody meat, or the meat of strangled animals. They also should not commit sexual sins."



Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong

1Co 14:29  Two or three people should speak what God has revealed. Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong.
1Co 14:30  If God reveals something to another person who is seated, the first speaker should be silent.
1Co 14:31  All of you can take your turns speaking what God has revealed. In that way, everyone will learn and be encouraged.
1Co 14:32  People who speak what God has revealed must control themselves.
1Co 14:33  God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace. As in all the churches of God's holy people,



the place of honor

Luk 14:7  Then Jesus noticed how the guests always chose the places of honor. So he used this illustration when he spoke to them:
Luk 14:8  "When someone invites you to a wedding, don't take the place of honor. Maybe someone more important than you was invited.
Luk 14:9  Then your host would say to you, 'Give this person your place.' Embarrassed, you would have to take the place of least honor.
Luk 14:10  So when you're invited, take the place of least honor. Then, when your host comes, he will tell you, 'Friend, move to a more honorable place.' Then all the other guests will see how you are honored.
Luk 14:11  Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored."




Honor and decision

Rom 14:1  Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion.
Rom 14:2  Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables.
Rom 14:3  People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people.
Rom 14:4  Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful.
Rom 14:5  One person decides that one day is holier than another. Another person decides that all days are the same. Every person must make his own decision.
Rom 14:6  When people observe a special day, they observe it to honor the Lord. When people eat all kinds of foods, they honor the Lord as they eat, since they give thanks to God. Vegetarians also honor the Lord when they eat, and they, too, give thanks to God.
Rom 14:7  It's clear that we don't live to honor ourselves, and we don't die to honor ourselves.
Rom 14:8  If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Rom 14:9  For this reason Christ died and came back to life so that he would be the Lord of both the living and the dead.



you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith

Rom 14:12  All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God.
Rom 14:13  So let's stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
Rom 14:14  The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is.
Rom 14:15  So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don't destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person.
Rom 14:16  Don't allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
Rom 14:17  God's kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God's kingdom consists of God's approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives.
Rom 14:18  The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
Rom 14:19  So let's pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other.
Rom 14:20  Don't ruin God's work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it's wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts.
Rom 14:21  The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts.
Rom 14:22  So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn't feel guilty. He is blessed.
Rom 14:23  But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn't act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.




decision of parents to give their daughter in marriage

1Co 7:35  I'm saying this for your benefit, not to restrict you. I'm showing you how to live a noble life of devotion to the Lord without being distracted by other things.
1Co 7:36  No father would want to do the wrong thing when his virgin daughter is old enough to get married. If she wants to get married, he isn't sinning by letting her get married.
1Co 7:37  However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her at home because she doesn't want to get married, that's fine.
1Co 7:38  So it's fine for a father to give his daughter in marriage, but the father who doesn't give his daughter in marriage does even better.



jugdments and decisions about a girl's virginity

Deu 22:13  A man might marry a woman, sleep with her, and decide he doesn't like her.
Deu 22:14  Then he might make up charges against her and ruin her reputation by saying, "I married this woman. But when I slept with her, I found out she wasn't a virgin."
Deu 22:15  The girl's father and mother must go to the city gate where the leaders of the city are and submit the evidence that their daughter was a virgin.
Deu 22:16  The girl's father will tell the leaders, "I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he doesn't like her.
Deu 22:17  Now he has made up charges against her. He says he found out that my daughter wasn't a virgin. But here's the evidence!" Then the girl's parents must spread out the cloth in front of the leaders of the city.
Deu 22:18  The leaders of that city must take the man and punish him.
Deu 22:19  They will fine him 2 1/2 pounds of silver and give it to the girl's father. The husband ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will continue to be his wife, and he can never divorce her as long as he lives.
Deu 22:20  But if the charge is true, and no evidence that the girl was a virgin can be found,
Deu 22:21  they must take the girl to the entrance of her father's house. The men of her city must stone her to death because she has committed such a godless act in Israel: She had sex before marriage, while she was still living in her father's house. You must get rid of this evil.



beautiful woman as captive or prisoner of war

Deu 21:10  When you go to war with your enemies and the LORD your God hands them over to you, you may take them captive.
Deu 21:11  If you see a beautiful woman among the captives and have your heart set on her, you may marry her.
Deu 21:12  Bring her into your home. She must shave her head, cut her nails,
Deu 21:13  and no longer wear the clothes she was wearing when you captured her. Then she may live in your house and mourn the loss of her father and mother for one month. After that, you may sleep with her. Then you will become husband and wife.
Deu 21:14  But if it happens that you are no longer pleased with her, let her go wherever she wants. You must never sell her or mistreat her as if she were a slave, since you've already had sex with her.




community decisions for unintentional murders

Num 35:22  "But suppose you accidentally kill someone who wasn't your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but didn't mean to kill him.
Num 35:23  Or suppose you drop a big stone, and someone is killed. However, you didn't know the person was there, he wasn't your enemy, and you weren't trying to harm him.
Num 35:24  Then the community must use these rules in order to decide if you are innocent or if the dead person's relative can avenge the death.
Num 35:25  If you are innocent, the community must protect you from that relative. They must take you back to the city of refuge you fled to. You must live there until the death of the chief priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
Num 35:26  "But don't go outside the city of refuge you fled to.
Num 35:27  If the relative who can avenge the death finds you outside the city of refuge and kills you, the relative is not guilty of murder.
Num 35:28  Accused murderers must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the chief priest. They may go back to their own property only after his death.



place of refuge for unintentional murders

Jos 20:1  The LORD said to Joshua,
Jos 20:2  "Tell the people of Israel, 'Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.
Jos 20:3  Choose them so that anyone who unintentionally kills someone may run to them. They will be a place of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death.
Jos 20:4  "'A person who kills someone accidentally can run to one of these cities. There he will stand at the entrance to the city, where court is held, and present his case to the leaders of that city. Then they will take him into their city and give him a place to live with them.
Jos 20:5  "'If the relative who can avenge the death pursues him, the leaders must not hand him over to the relative because he didn't intend to kill the other person. He didn't even hate the person he killed.
Jos 20:6  The accused person may remain in that city until he can stand trial in front of the congregation or until whoever is chief priest at that time dies. Then he may go back to his home in the city from which he ran away.'"




unsolved murder

Deu 21:1  This is what you must do if you find a murder victim lying in a field in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. If no one knows who committed the murder,
Deu 21:2  your leaders and judges must go and measure the distance from the body to each of the neighboring cities.
Deu 21:3  When it has been determined which city is nearest the body, the leaders from that city must choose a heifer that has never been put to work and never worn a yoke.
Deu 21:4  The leaders of that city will bring the heifer down to a river, to a location where the land hasn't been plowed or planted. At the river they must break the heifer's neck.
Deu 21:5  The priests, the descendants of Levi, must come forward. The LORD your God has chosen them to serve him as priests and to bless people in the LORD'S name. Their decision is final in all cases involving a disagreement or an assault.
Deu 21:6  All the leaders from the city which was nearest the murder victim must wash their hands over the dead heifer.
Deu 21:7  Then they must make this formal statement: "We didn't commit this murder, and we didn't witness it.
Deu 21:8  LORD, make peace with your people Israel, whom you freed. Don't let the guilt of this unsolved murder remain among your people Israel." Then there will be peace with the LORD despite the murder.
Deu 21:9  This is how you will get rid of the guilt of an unsolved murder by doing what the LORD considers right.




decision and verdict of the priests and judge - hard cases

Deu 17:8  There may be a case that is too hard for you to decide. It may involve murder, assault, or a dispute-any case which may be brought to court in your cities. Take this case to the place that the LORD your God will choose.
Deu 17:9  Go to the Levitical priests and the judge who is serving at that time. Ask for their opinion, and they will give you their verdict
Deu 17:10  at the place that the LORD will choose. Do what they tell you. Follow all their instructions carefully,
Deu 17:11  and do what they tell you to do in their verdict. Do exactly what they tell you to do in their decision.
Deu 17:12  If anyone deliberately disobeys the priest (who serves the LORD your God) or the judge, that person must die. You must get rid of this evil in Israel.
Deu 17:13  When all the people hear about it, they will be afraid and will never defy God's law again.



disagreements brought into court should be settled and decided by judges

Deu 25:1  This is what you must do whenever two people have a disagreement that is brought into court. The judges will hear the case and decide who's right and who's wrong.
Deu 25:2  If the person who's in the wrong deserves to be beaten, the judge will order him to lie down. Then the judge will have him beaten with as many lashes as the crime deserves.
Deu 25:3  Forty lashes may be given, but no more. If an Israelite were given more than that, he would be publicly humiliated.



fleeing in battle as a decoy strategy to give way for the ambush

Jdg 20:32  The men of Benjamin shouted, "They're defeated as before!" But the men of Israel had said, "Let's flee in order to lead them from the city to the roads."
Jdg 20:33  So the men of Israel left their positions. They formed their battle line at Baal Tamar. Meanwhile, those waiting in ambush rushed from their position to the west of Gibeah.
Jdg 20:34  Then 10,000 of Israel's best men attacked Gibeah. The battle was fierce. But Benjamin's men didn't realize their own evil was about to overtake them.
Jdg 20:35  So the LORD defeated them in front of Israel. On that day the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 men from Benjamin who were armed with swords.
Jdg 20:36  Then the men of Benjamin realized they were defeated. The Israelites had allowed the men of Benjamin to take back some ground. The Israelites relied on those waiting in ambush near Gibeah.
Jdg 20:37  The men in ambush quickly charged toward Gibeah. They spread out in the city and killed everyone.
Jdg 20:38  The men of Israel had arranged with those waiting in ambush that they would make a big column of smoke rise from the city as a signal.
Jdg 20:39  Then the men of Israel would turn around in the battle. The men of Benjamin had already killed about 30 men of Israel. They even said, "Israel is completely defeated, just like in the first battle."
Jdg 20:40  But when the column of smoke started to rise from the city, the men of Benjamin turned around and saw the whole city going up in smoke.
Jdg 20:41  Then the men of Israel turned around, and the men of Benjamin panicked. They realized that their evil had overtaken them.
Jdg 20:42  They turned in front of Israel toward the road to the desert. But the battle caught up with the men of Benjamin. Israel slaughtered whoever came out of the cities on the road to the desert.
Jdg 20:43  They closed in on the men of Benjamin and pursued them without stopping. They overtook them east of Gibeah.




decisions made by drawing lots

Neh 10:34  We priests, Levites, and laypeople have drawn lots to decide the order in which the heads of our families should bring wood to our God's temple to burn on the altar of the LORD our God at appointed times every year according to the directions in the Teachings.
Neh 10:35  We have drawn lots to decide who should bring the first produce harvested and the first fruit from every tree each year to the LORD'S temple.
Neh 10:36  Following the directions in the Teachings, we have drawn lots to decide who should bring the firstborn of our sons, our cattle, and our flocks to the priests serving in our God's temple.
Neh 10:37  Also, we have drawn lots to decide who should bring the best of our coarse flour, contributions, fruit from every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the storerooms. We will bring for the Levites one-tenth of the produce from our fields, because the Levites are the ones who collect one-tenth of the produce from all our farm communities.




replacement of position in office by drawing lots

Act 1:20  "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "'May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and "'Let another take his office.'
Act 1:21  So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Act 1:22  beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."
Act 1:23  And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
Act 1:24  And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
Act 1:25  to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."
Act 1:26  And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.




the LORD must be the judge, He will decide between you and me

1Sa 24:9  David asked Saul, "Why do you listen to rumors that I am trying to harm you?
1Sa 24:10  Today you saw how the LORD handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you, I spared you, saying, 'I will not raise my hand against Your Majesty because you are the LORD'S anointed.'
1Sa 24:11  My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! Since I cut off the border of your robe and didn't kill you, you should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I haven't sinned against you, but you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life.
1Sa 24:12  May the LORD decide between you and me. May the LORD take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you.
1Sa 24:13  It's like people used to say long ago, 'Wickedness comes from wicked people.' But I will not lay a hand on you.
1Sa 24:14  Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? One flea?
1Sa 24:15  So the LORD must be the judge. He will decide between you and me. He will watch and take my side in this matter and set me free from you."
1Sa 24:16  When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that you speaking, my servant David?" and Saul cried loudly.
1Sa 24:17  He told David, "You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly.
1Sa 24:18  Today you have proved how good you've been to me. When the LORD handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
1Sa 24:19  When a person finds an enemy, does he send him away unharmed? The LORD will repay you completely for what you did for me today.

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