Book of Common Prayer

Jehovah the psalmist’s portion in life and deliverer in death.

Michtam of David.

Prayer for protection against oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

A cry of anguish, and a song of praise.

For the Chief Musician; set to ^[a]Aijeleth hash-Shahar. A Psalm of David.

4 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. ² And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. ³ And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: ⁴ and I thought to ^[a]disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if ^[b]thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. ⁵ Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. ⁶ And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.

⁷ Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. ⁸ So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thyself. And he drew off his shoe. ⁹ And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. ¹⁰ Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. ¹¹ And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and ^[c]do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Beth-lehem: ¹² and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son. ¹⁴ And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel. ¹⁵ And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. ¹⁶ And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. ¹⁷ And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of ^[d]Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁷ Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. ¹⁸ For the scripture saith, ^[a]Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire. ¹⁹ Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. ²¹ I charge thee in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without ^[b]prejudice, doing nothing by partiality. ²² Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. ²³ Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. ²⁴ Some men’s sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they follow after. ²⁵ In like manner also ^[c]there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid.

14 And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. ² And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy. ³ And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not? ⁴ But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go. ⁵ And he said unto them, Which of you shall have ^[a]an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day? ⁶ And they could not answer again unto these things.

⁷ And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, ⁸ When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, ^[b]sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, ⁹ and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that ^[c]sit at meat with thee. ¹¹ For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.