¹⁵ Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain^(A) from sexual relations.”

⁴ But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread^(A) on hand; however, there is some consecrated^(B) bread here—provided the men have kept^(C) themselves from women.”

⁵ David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual^(A) whenever^[a] I set out. The men’s bodies are holy^(B) even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!”

⁵ For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(A) I sent to find out about your faith.^(B) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(C) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(D)