Book of Common Prayer
Praise to God for His Deliverance
For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh,
who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song
when[a] Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies,
and from the hand of Saul.[b]
18 And he said:
“I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.”
2 Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I have taken refuge,
my shield and the horn of my deliverance, my stronghold.
3 I called upon Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death encircled me,
and streams of ruin overwhelmed me.
5 The ropes of Sheol surrounded me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my trouble I called on Yahweh,
and to my God I cried for help.
He heard my voice from his temple,
and my cry for help
came up before his presence into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains trembled,
and they staggered because he was angry.
8 Smoke went forth from his nose,
and fire from his mouth consumed.
Burning coals blazed from him.
9 So he bowed the heavens and came down
with a thick cloud under his feet.
10 And he mounted a cherub and flew,
and he swooped down on wings of wind.
11 He made darkness his hiding place;
all about him his covering
was a darkness of waters, thick clouds.[c]
12 From the brightness before him
his clouds passed over
with hail and coals of fire.
13 And Yahweh thundered from the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice
with hail and coals of fire.
14 And he shot his arrows and scattered them,[d]
and many lightning bolts and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea became visible,
and the foundations of the world were uncovered
by your rebuke, O Yahweh,
by the blast[e] of the wind of your nose.
16 He reached[f] from on high; he seized me.
He drew me from many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me
because they were stronger than I.
18 They confronted me on the day of disaster,
but Yahweh was my support.
19 So he brought me out to a spacious place.
He delivered me because he delighted in me.
20 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
he has repaid me.
Yahweh the Shepherd
A psalm of David.[a]
23 Yahweh is my shepherd;
I will not lack for anything.
2 In grassy pastures he makes me lie down;
by quiet waters he leads me.
3 He restores my life.[b]
He leads me in correct paths[c]
for the sake of his name.
4 Even when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil
because you are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare before me a table
in the presence of my oppressors.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup is overflowing.
6 Surely goodness and loyal love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will stay[d] in the house[e] of Yahweh
for a very long time.[f]
A Declaration of Trust
Of David.[a]
27 Yahweh is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
Yahweh is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers drew near against me to eat my flesh—
my adversaries and my enemies who drew near to me—
they themselves stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear.
Though war arise against me,
even in this I will remain confident.
4 One thing I have asked from Yahweh;
it I will seek:
that I may dwell in the house[b] of Yahweh all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of Yahweh,
and to consider[c] his temple.
5 Because he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble.
He will conceal me in the hiding place of his tent.
He will set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head will be high over my enemies round about me.
And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh.
7 Hear, O Yahweh, my voice when I call,
and be gracious to me and answer me.
8 On your behalf my heart says, “Seek my face.”
Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 If my father or my mother forsake me,
then Yahweh will receive me.
11 Teach me, O Yahweh, your way,
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me over to the desire of my enemies,
because false witnesses have arisen against me,
and each breathing out violence.[d]
13 Surely[e] I believe that I will see the goodness of Yahweh
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for Yahweh.
Be strong and let your heart show strength,
and wait for Yahweh.
13 Then three[a] of the thirty leaders went down and came to David at the time of the harvest[b] to the cave of Adullam, while a group of the Philistines were camping in the valley of the Rephaim. 14 Now at that time, David was in the stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that same time. 15 David said longingly,[c] “Oh that someone would bring me a drink[d] of water from the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate.” 16 So three of the mighty warriors broke into the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was at the gate, and they carried it and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh. 17 He said, “Far be it from me before Yahweh that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty warriors did.
Greeting
1 The elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth— 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever[a]. 3 Grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love.
4 I was very glad[b] because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us[c].
Watch Out for False Teachers
5 And now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but one that we have had from the beginning), that we should love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ[d] coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.
9 Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not speak a greeting to him, 11 because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.
Conclusion and Final Greeting
12 Although[e] I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so by means of paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak face to face[f], so that your[g] joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
The Wedding at Cana: Water Turned into Wine
2 And on the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when the[a] wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine!” 4 And Jesus said to her, “What does your concern have to do with me,[b] woman? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it!”[c]
6 Now six stone water jars were set there, in accordance with the ceremonial cleansing of the Jews, each holding two or three measures.[d] 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some[e] out and take it[f] to the head steward. So they took it.[g] 9 Now when the head steward tasted the water which had become wine and did not know where it was from—but the servants who had drawn the water knew—the head steward summoned the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone[h] serves the good wine first, and whenever they are drunk, the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
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