Book of Common Prayer

101 The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious, and poured out his supplication before the Lord.

² Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee.

³ Turn not away thy face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me speedily.

⁴ For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.

⁵ I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.

⁶ Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.

⁷ I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.

⁸ I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.

⁹ All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.

¹⁰ For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.

¹¹ Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.

¹² My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.

¹³ But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.

¹⁴ Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time is come.

¹⁵ For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.

¹⁶ And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

¹⁷ For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.

¹⁸ He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.

¹⁹ Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:

²⁰ Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.

²¹ That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:

²² That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;

²³ When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.

²⁴ He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.

²⁵ Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.

²⁶ In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.

²⁷ They shall perish but thou remainest: and all of them shall grow old like a garment: And as a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed.

²⁸ But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.

²⁹ The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.

109 The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.

² The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.

³ With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee.

⁴ The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

⁵ The Lord at thy right hand hath broken kings in the day of his wrath.

⁶ He shall judge among nations, he shall fill ruins: he shall crush the heads in the land of the many.

⁷ He shall drink of the torrent in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

²¹ And the king said to Joab: Behold I am appeased and have granted thy request: Go therefore and fetch back the boy Absalom.

²² And Joab falling down to the ground upon his face, adored, and blessed the king: and Joab said: This day thy servant hath understood, that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king: for thou hast fulfilled the request of thy servant.

²³ Then Joab arose and went to Gessur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

²⁴ But the king said: Let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned into his house, and saw not the king's face.

²⁵ But in all Israel there was not a man so comely, and so exceedingly beautiful as Absalom: from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

²⁶ And when he polled his hair (now he was polled once a year, because his hair was burdensome to him) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred sicles, according to the common weight.

²⁷ And there were born to Absalom three sons: and one daughter, whose, name was Thamar, and she was very beautiful.

²⁸ And Absalom dwelt two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

²⁹ He sent therefore to Joab, to send him to the king: but he would not come to him. And when he had sent the second time, and he would not come to him,

³⁰ He said to his servants: You know the field of Joab near my field, that hath a crop of barley: go now and set it on fire. So the servants of Absalom set the corn on fire. And Joab's servants coming with their garments rent, said: The servants of Absalom have set part of the field on fire.

³¹ Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said: Why have thy servants set my corn on fire?

³² And Absalom answered Joab: I sent to thee beseeching thee to come to me, that I might send thee to the king, to say to him: Wherefore am I come from Gessur? it had been better for me to be there: I beseech thee therefore that I may see the face of the king: and if he be mindful of my iniquity, let him kill me.

³³ So Joab going in to the king, told him all: and Absalom was called for, and he went in to the king: and prostrated himself on the ground before him: and the king kissed Absalom.

¹⁵ And after those days, being prepared, we went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And there went also with us some of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing with them one Mnason a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

¹⁷ And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

¹⁸ And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James; and all the ancients were assembled.

¹⁹ Whom when he had saluted, he related particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

²⁰ But they hearing it, glorified God, and said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews that have believed: and they are all zealous for the law.

²¹ Now they have heard of thee that thou teachest those Jews, who are among the Gentiles, to depart from Moses: saying, that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor walk according to the custom.

²² What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

²³ Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men, who have a vow on them.

²⁴ Take these, and sanctify thyself with them: and bestow on them, that they may shave their heads: and all will know that the things which they have heard of thee, are false; but that thou thyself also walkest keeping the law.

²⁵ But as touching the Gentiles that believe, we have written, decreeing that they should only refrain themselves from that which has been offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangles, and from fornication.

²⁶ Then Paul took the men, and the next day being purified with them, entered into the temple, giving notice of the accomplishment of the days of purification, until an oblation should be offered for every one of them.

¹⁷ And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up and kneeling before him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive life everlasting?

¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.

¹⁹ Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father and mother.

²⁰ But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.

²¹ And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

²² Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

²³ And Jesus looking round about, saith to his disciples: How hardly shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God!

²⁴ And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus again answering, saith to them: Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God?

²⁵ It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

²⁶ Who wondered the more, saying among themselves: Who then can be saved?

²⁷ And Jesus looking on them, saith: With men it is impossible; but not with God: for all things are possible with God.

²⁸ And Peter began to say unto him: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee.

²⁹ Jesus answering, said: Amen I say to you, there is no man who hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,

³⁰ Who shall not receive an hundred times as much, now in this time; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life everlasting.

³¹ But many that are first, shall be last: and the last, first.