Thematic Bible: Self-control


Thematic Bible



But Daniel was at a point with himself, that he would not be defiled through the king's meat, nor the wine which he drunk. And this he desired of the chief chamberlain, lest he should defile himself.

so that I had no lust to eat bread: as for flesh and wine, there came none within my mouth: No, I did not once anoint myself, till the whole three weeks were out.





But the children of Belial said, "How shall he save us?" And despised him and brought him not presents. And he made as though he had not heard it.

But Saul said, "There shall no man die this day, for today the LORD hath saved Israel."


And the chief priest arose, and said to him, "Answerest thou nothing? How is it that these bear witness against thee?" But Jesus held his peace. And the chief priest answered, and said to him, "I charge thee in the name of the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the son of God."

And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, "Hearest thou not how many things they lay against thee?" And he answered him to never a word: insomuch that the deputy marveled greatly.


Then Saul was come again from the Philistines, it was told him, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi." Then Saul took three thousand men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in the rocks, where nothing haunted but wild goats. And he came to the flocks of the sheep by a wayside where was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men sat along by the sides of the cave. read more.
And the men of David said unto him, "See, the day is come of which the LORD said unto thee, 'Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do with him what it pleaseth thee.'" Then David arose and cut off the tip of Saul's coat privily. And immediately David's heart smote him, because he had cut off the tip of Saul's coat. And he said unto his men, "The LORD keep me from doing that thing unto my master that is the LORD's anointed, to lay mine hand upon him: seeing he is the LORD's anointed." And so David kept off his servants with words, and suffered them not to go upon Saul. And when Saul was up out of the cave and gone away, David arose and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord king!" And Saul looked behind him. And David stooped to the earth and bowed himself, and said to Saul, "Wherefore giveth thou an ear to men's words, that say, 'David seeketh thee evil?' Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee this day into mine hand, in the cave. When they bade kill thee, mine eye had compassion on thee: and I said, 'I will not lay my hands on my master, for he is the LORD's anointed.' And moreover my father, see yet the tip of thy coat in my hand. And inasmuch as I killed thee not too, when I cut off the tip of thy coat; understand and see that there is neither evil nor rebelliousness in me, and that I have not sinned against thee. And yet thou huntest after my soul to take it. The LORD be judge between thee and me, and the LORD avenge me of thee. But mine hand be not upon thee. According to the old proverb, wickedness shall proceed out of the wicked: But mine hand be not upon thee. After whom art thou come out, thou king of Israel? After whom chasest thou? Even after a dead dog, and after a flea! The LORD be judge, and judge between thee and me, and see and plead my cause, and judge me free out of thine hand."

After that came the Ziphites unto Saul to Gibeah saying, "David hideth himself in the hill of Hachilah even before the wilderness." Then Saul arose and went to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, for to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah which lieth before the wilderness, by the wayside. But David dwelt in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, read more.
he sent out spies and understood that Saul was come of surety. Wherefore David arose and went to the place where Saul had pitched, and beheld the place where Saul lay with Abner the son of Ner his chief captain. For Saul lay within a round bank and the people pitched round about him. Then answered David, and spake to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah and brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul, to the host?" Abishai said, "I will go down with thee." And so David and Abishai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping within a round bank and his spear pitched in the ground at his head, Abner and the people lying round about him. The said Abishai to David, "God hath closed in thine enemy unto thine hand this day. Now therefore let me smite him a fellowship with my spear to the earth, even one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time." But David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not - for who can lay his hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?" And David said furthermore, "As sure as the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and there perish: but the LORD keep me from laying mine hand upon the LORD's anointed. Now then take a fellowship the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go." And David took the spear and the cruse of water that were at Saul's head, and they gat them away, and no man saw or wist it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because the LORD had sent a slumber upon them. Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off - a great space being between them - and cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Answerest thou not Abner?" And Abner answered, and said, "What art thou that criest to the king?" And David said to Abner, "Art not thou a man? And who is like thee in Israel? But wherefore hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For there came one of the folk to destroy the king thy lord. It is not good that thou hast done. As truly as the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have no better kept the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the cruse of water that were at his head." Then Saul knew David's voice and said, "Is this thy voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord king." And he said thereto, "Wherefore doth my lord persecute his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in mine hand? Now hear therefore, my lord king, the words of thy servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, he shall smell the savour of sacrifice. But and if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD. For they have cast me out from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Hence and go serve other gods.' And yet I hope my blood shall not fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, though the king of Israel be come out to hunt a flea, as men hunt the partridges in the mountains."


But the children of Belial said, "How shall he save us?" And despised him and brought him not presents. And he made as though he had not heard it.