Book of Common Prayer
97 How I love your teachings!
I think about them all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies
because they are mine forever.
99 I am wiser than all my teachers
because I think about your rules.
100 I have more understanding than the elders
because I follow your orders.
101 I have avoided every evil way
so I could obey your word.
102 I haven’t stopped obeying your laws
because you yourself are my teacher.
103 Your promises are so sweet to me.
They are like honey to my mouth!
104 Your orders give me understanding.
So I hate lying ways.
105 Your word is like a lamp for my feet
and a light for my way.
106 I will do what I have promised
and obey your fair laws.
107 I have suffered for a long time.
Lord, give me life by your word.
108 Lord, accept my willing praise.
And teach me your laws.
109 My life is always in danger.
But I haven’t forgotten your teachings.
110 Wicked people have set a trap for me.
But I haven’t disobeyed your orders.
111 I will follow your rules forever.
They make me happy.
112 I will try to do what you demand
forever, until the end.
113 I hate people who are not completely loyal to you.
But I love your teachings.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I trust your word.
115 Get away from me, you people who do evil,
so I can keep my God’s commands.
116 Support me as you promised so I can live.
Don’t let me be embarrassed because of my hopes.
117 Help me, and I will be saved.
I will always respect your demands.
118 You reject everyone who ignores your demands.
Their lies mislead them.
119 You throw away the wicked of the world like trash.
So I will love your rules.
120 I shake in fear of you.
I fear your laws.
A Song for a Holiday
For the director of music. By the gittith. A song of Asaph.
81 Sing for joy to God, our strength.
Shout out loud to the God of Jacob.
2 Begin the music. Play the tambourines.
Play pleasant music on the harps and lyres.
3 Blow the sheep’s horn at the time of the New Moon.
Blow it when the moon is full, when our feast begins.
4 This is the law for Israel.
It is God’s command to the people of Jacob.
5 He made this agreement with the people of Joseph
when they went out of the land of Egypt.
I heard a language I did not know, saying:
6 “I took the load off your shoulders.
I let you put down your baskets.
7 When you were in trouble, you called, and I saved you.
I answered you with thunder.
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 My people, listen. I am warning you.
Israel, please listen to me!
9 You must not have foreign gods among you.
You must not worship any false god.
10 I, the Lord, am your God.
I brought you out of Egypt.
Open your mouth, and I will feed you.
11 “But my people did not listen to me.
Israel did not want me.
12 So I let them go their stubborn way.
They followed their own advice.
13 I wish my people would listen to me.
I wish Israel would live my way.
14 Then I would quickly defeat their enemies.
I would turn my hand against those who are against them.
15 Those who hate the Lord would bow before him.
Their punishment would continue forever.
16 But I would give you the finest wheat.
I would fill you with honey from the rocks.”
God Judges the Judges
A song of Asaph.
82 God is in charge of the great meeting of his people.
He judges the judges.
2 He says, “How long will you defend evil people?
How long will you show greater kindness to the wicked? Selah
3 Defend the orphans and the weak.
Defend the rights of the poor and suffering.
4 Save the weak and helpless
from the power of the wicked.
5 “You know nothing. You don’t understand.
You walk in the dark,
while the world is falling apart.
6 I said, ‘You are gods.
You are all sons of the Most High God.’
7 But you will die like any other person.
You will die like all the leaders.”
8 God, come and judge the earth.
You own all the nations.
Mordecai Is Honored
6 That same night the king could not sleep. So he gave an order for the daily court record to be brought in and read to him. 2 And it was found recorded that Mordecai had warned the king about Bigthana and Teresh. These men had planned to kill the king. They were two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway.
3 Then the king asked, “What honor and reward have been given to Mordecai for this?”
The king’s personal servants answered, “Nothing has been done for Mordecai.”
4 The king said, “Who is in the courtyard?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace. He had come to ask the king about hanging Mordecai on the platform he had prepared.
5 The king’s personal servants said, “Haman is standing in the courtyard.”
So the king said, “Bring him in.”
6 So Haman came in. And the king asked him, “What should be done for a man that the king wants very much to honor?”
And Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king want to honor more than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “This is what you could do for the man you want very much to honor. 8 Have the servants bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn. And also bring a horse with a royal crown on its head. The horse should be one the king himself has ridden. 9 Then let the robe and the horse be given to one of the king’s most important men. Let the servants put the robe on the man the king wants very much to honor. And let them lead him on the horse through the city streets. As they are leading him, let them announce: ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants very much to honor!’”
10 The king commanded Haman, “Go quickly. Take the robe and the horse just as you have said. And do all this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not leave out anything that you have suggested.”
11 So Haman took the robe and the horse. And he put the robe on Mordecai. Then he led him on horseback through the city streets. Haman announced before Mordecai: “This is what is done for the man the king wants very much to honor!”
12 Then Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home with his head covered. He was embarrassed and ashamed. 13 He told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
Haman’s wife and the men who gave him advice said, “You are starting to lose power to Mordecai. Since he is a Jew, you cannot win against him. You will surely be ruined.” 14 While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs came to Haman’s house. They made Haman hurry to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Paul in Ephesus
19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul was visiting some places on the way to Ephesus. There he found some followers. 2 Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They said, “We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit!”
3 So he asked, “What kind of baptism did you have?”
They said, “It was the baptism that John[a] taught.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of changed hearts and lives. He told people to believe in the One who would come after him. That One is Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then Paul laid his hands on them,[b] and the Holy Spirit came upon them. They began speaking different languages and prophesying. 7 There were about 12 men in this group.
8 Paul went into the synagogue and spoke out boldly for three months. He talked with the Jews and persuaded them to accept the things he said about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of the Jews became stubborn and refused to believe. These Jews said evil things about the Way of Jesus. All the people heard these things. So Paul left them and took the followers with him. He went to a place where a man named Tyrannus had a school. There Paul talked with people every day 10 for two years. Because of his work, every Jew and Greek in Asia heard the word of the Lord.
Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil
4 Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. The Spirit led Jesus into the desert 2 where the devil tempted Jesus for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. When those days were ended, he was very hungry.
3 The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell this rock to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘A person does not live only by eating bread.’”[a]
5 Then the devil took Jesus and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to Jesus, “I will give you all these kingdoms and all their power and glory. It has all been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. 7 If you worship me, all will be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only him!’”[b]
9 Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 It is written in the Scriptures:
‘He has put his angels in charge of you.
They will watch over you.’ Psalm 91:11
11 ‘They will catch you with their hands.
And you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Psalm 91:12
12 Jesus answered, “But it also says in the Scriptures: ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”[c]
13 After the devil had tempted Jesus in every way, he went away to wait until a better time.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.