2And the king said to Joab the general of his army: Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Bersabee, and number you the people that I may know the number of them.

9And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people to the king, and there were found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.

10But David's heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord: I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I ask you, OH Lord, to take away the sin of your servant, because I have done exceeding foolishly.

11And David arose in the morning, and the word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:

12Go, and say to David: Thus says the Lord: I give you your choice of three things, choose one of them which you will, that I may do it to you.

13And when Gad was come to David, he told him, saying: Either seven years of famine shall come to you in your land: or you shall flee three months before your adversaries, and they shall pursue you: or for three days there shall be a pestilence in your land. Now therefore deliberate, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

14And David said to Gad: I am in a great narrow: but it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men.

15And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, from the morning to the time appointed, and there died of the people from Dan to Bersabee seventy thousand men.

16And when the angel of the Lord had stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord had pity on the suffering, and said to the angel that slew the people: It is enough: now hold your hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the thrashingfloor of Areuna the Jebusite.

17And David said to the Lord, when he saw the angel striking the people: It is I; I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these that are the sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I beg you, be turned against me, and against my father's house.

1To David himself, understanding. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

2Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

5I have acknowledged my sin to you, and my injustice I have not concealed. I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and you have forgiven the evil of my sin.

6For this shall every one that is holy pray to you in a seasonable time. And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh to him.

7You art my refuge from the trouble which has encompassed me: my joy, deliver me from them that surround me.

1And going out from from there, he went into his own country; and his disciples followed him.

2And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his teaching, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?

3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him.

4And Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and in his own house, and among his own kindred.

5And he could not do any signs there, only that he cured a few that were sick, laying his hands upon them.

6And he wondered because of their unbelief, and he went through the villages round about teaching.