Book of Common Prayer
A Song of Ascents. By David.
131 Yahweh, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty;
nor do I concern myself with great matters,
or things too wonderful for me.
2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with his mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 Israel, hope in Yahweh,
from this time forward and forever more.
A Song of Ascents.
132 Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,
2 how he swore to Yahweh,
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “Surely I will not come into the structure of my house,
nor go up into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes,
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find out a place for Yahweh,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah.
We found it in the field of Jaar.
7 “We will go into his dwelling place.
We will worship at his footstool.”
8 Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place,
you, and the ark of your strength.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness.
Let your saints shout for joy!
10 For your servant David’s sake,
don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 Yahweh has sworn to David in truth.
He will not turn from it:
“I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
12 If your children will keep my covenant,
my testimony that I will teach them,
their children also will sit on your throne forever more.”
13 For Yahweh has chosen Zion.
He has desired it for his habitation.
14 “This is my resting place forever.
I will live here, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provision.
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation.
Her saints will shout aloud for joy.
17 I will make the horn of David to bud there.
I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but on himself, his crown will shine.”
A Song of Ascents. By David.
133 See how good and how pleasant it is
for brothers to live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
that ran down on the beard,
even Aaron’s beard,
that came down on the edge of his robes,
3 like the dew of Hermon,
that comes down on the hills of Zion;
for there Yahweh gives the blessing,
even life forever more.
A Song of Ascents.
134 Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh,
who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.
Praise Yahweh!
3 May Yahweh bless you from Zion,
even he who made heaven and earth.
135 Praise Yah!
Praise Yahweh’s name!
Praise him, you servants of Yahweh,
2 you who stand in Yahweh’s house,
in the courts of our God’s house.
3 Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good.
Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.
4 For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel for his own possession.
5 For I know that Yahweh is great,
that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done,
in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightnings with the rain.
He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and animal.
9 He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt,
on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.
10 He struck many nations,
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 and gave their land for a heritage,
a heritage to Israel, his people.
13 Your name, Yahweh, endures forever;
your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations.
14 For Yahweh will judge his people
and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they can’t speak.
They have eyes, but they can’t see.
17 They have ears, but they can’t hear,
neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19 House of Israel, praise Yahweh!
House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!
20 House of Levi, praise Yahweh!
You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh!
21 Blessed be Yahweh from Zion,
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise Yah!
19 Joab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.” 2 The victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”
3 The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 6 in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”
8 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. The people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”
11 King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house? 12 You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’” 14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”
15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan. 16 Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king. 18 A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.
Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had come over the Jordan. 19 He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?”
22 David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.
24 After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul. 2 When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that prosperity is coming to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 But that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. 5 For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.[a] 7 [b] 8 [c]By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”
9 The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.
10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 11 seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12 In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 15 having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16 In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 19 They ought to have been here before you and to make accusation if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’”
22 But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.
28 One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’(A) This is the first commandment. 31 The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’(B) There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; 33 and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.”
No one dared ask him any question after that.
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