BOOK ONE

Psalms 1–41

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

BOOK FOUR

Psalms 90–106

The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty

A Prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

John Baptizes Jesus

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

John the Baptist Beheaded

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.