Psalm 96^(A)

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow^(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,^(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.^{(E) 2} He was holding a little scroll,^(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,^{(G) 3} and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.^(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders^(I) spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;^(J) but I heard a voice from heaven^(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”^(L)

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land^(M) raised his right hand to heaven.^{(N) 6} And he swore^(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,^(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,^(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!^{(R) 7} But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(S) the mystery^(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(U)

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(W) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]”^{(X) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(AA)

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer^(A)(B)

11 One day Jesus was praying^(C) in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord,^(D) teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.^(H)

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;^(I) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”