Book of Common Prayer
Foreign Nations Come to Worship in Jerusalem
Of the sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.[a]
87 His foundation is on the holy mountains.
2 Yahweh loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken about[b] you,
O city of God. Selah
4 I will record[c] those who know me
in Rahab[d] and Babylon,
behold in Philistia and Tyre with Cush,
“This one was born there.”
5 But with respect to Zion it shall be said,
“Each one[e] was born in her,”
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 Yahweh will record in writing the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 And while dancing, singers will sing,
“All my springs are in you.”
God’s Eternity and Human Frailty
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.[a]
90 O Lord, you have been our help[b] in all generations.[c]
2 Before the mountains were born
and you brought forth the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
3 You return man to the dust,
saying,[d] “Return, O sons of man.”
4 For a thousand years in your eyes
are like yesterday when it passes,
or like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away like a flood.
They fall asleep.[e]
In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it blossoms and sprouts anew;
by evening it withers and dries up.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger,
and we hasten off[f] by your wrath.
8 You have put our iniquities before you,
our hidden sins into the light of your countenance.
9 For all of our days dwindle away in your rage;
we complete our years like a sigh.
10 As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years
or if by strength eighty years, and their pride[g] is trouble and disaster,
for it passes quickly and we fly away.
11 Who knows the strength of your anger,
and your rage consistent with[h] the fear due you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Return,[i] O Yahweh. How long?
And have compassion on[j] your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen calamity.
16 Let your work be visible to your servants,
and your majesty to their children.
17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish for us the work of our hands,
yes, the work of our hands, establish it.
Praise to God for His Creation and Deliverance
136 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures forever.
4 To him who alone does great wonders,
for his loyal love endures forever.
5 To him who made the heavens with skill,[a]
for his loyal love endures forever.
6 To him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his loyal love endures forever.
7 To him who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures forever.
8 The sun to rule the day,
for his loyal love endures forever.
9 The moon and stars to rule the night,
for his loyal love endures forever.
10 To him who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
for his loyal love endures forever.
11 And he brought Israel out from among them,
for his loyal love endures forever.
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures forever.
13 To him who divided the Red Sea[b] in two,
for his loyal love endures forever.
14 And he let Israel cross over through the midst of it,
for his loyal love endures forever.
15 But he tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,[c]
for his loyal love endures forever.
16 To him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures forever.
17 To him who struck great kings,
for his loyal love endures forever.
18 And he killed mighty kings,
for his loyal love endures forever.
19 Sihon the king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures forever.
20 And Og the king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures forever.
21 And he gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures forever.
22 An inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate,
for his loyal love endures forever.
24 And he rescued us from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures forever.
25 The one who gives food to all flesh,
for his loyal love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures forever.
4 And he said to me, “Son of man,[a] come! Go to the house of Israel, and you must speak to them with my words. 5 For you are sent to the house of Israel, not to a people of obscure speech[b] and of a difficult language,[c] 6 and not to many nations of obscure speech[d] and a difficult language[e] whose words[f] you do not understand, for if I had sent you to them they would have listened to you. 7 And the house of Israel, they are not willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me, for all of the house of Israel is hard of forehead, and they are hard of heart. 8 But look, I have made[g] your face hard against[h] their faces and your forehead hard against[i] their forehead. 9 Like a diamond harder than flint[j] I have made your forehead; you must not fear them, and you must not be dismayed on account of them,[k] for they are a rebellious house.[l] 10 And he said to me, “Son of man,[m] all of my words that I shall speak to you, receive into[n] your heart and hear with your ears. 11 And come, go to the exiles,[o] to the children[p] of your people, and you must speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh!’ whether they listen or whether they fail to listen.” 12 And the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake when the glory of Yahweh rose from its place. 13 And it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures touching lightly[q] one against the other,[r] and the sound of the wheels beside them and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 And the Spirit lifted me and took me, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of Yahweh was strong on me. 15 And I went to the exiles[s] at Tel Abib, who were dwelling near the Kebar River,[t] and I sat where they were dwelling. I sat there seven days in the midst of them, stunned. 16 And then it happened[u] at the end of seven days, the word of Yahweh came[v] to me, saying, 17 “Son of man,[w] I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me.
7 who in the days of his flesh offered up both prayers and supplications, with loud crying and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard as a result of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, 9 and being perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Advanced Teaching Hindered by Immaturity
11 Concerning this[a] we have much to say and it is difficult to explain[b], since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For indeed, although you[c] ought to be teachers by this time[d], you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of[e] milk, not[f] solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.
A Demon-possessed Boy Healed
37 Now it happened that on the next day, when[a] they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look with concern on my son, because he is my only son! 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him and suddenly he screams, and it convulses him with foam and rarely withdraws from him, battering him severely. 40 And I begged your disciples that they would expel it, and they were not able to do so.” 41 So Jesus answered and[b] said, “O unbelieving and perverted generation! How long[c] will I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!” 42 And while[d] he was still approaching, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.[e] But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all astounded at the impressiveness of God.
Jesus Predicts His Suffering
But while they[f] were all marveling at all the things that he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “You take these words to heart,[g] for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they could not understand it. And they were afraid to ask him about this statement.
The Question About Who Is Greatest
46 And an argument developed among them as to who of them might be greatest. 47 But Jesus, because he[h] knew the thoughts of their hearts, took hold of a child and had him stand beside him 48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all—this one is great.”
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
49 And John answered and[i] said, “Master, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow in company with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him,[j] because whoever is not against you is for you.”
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