Book of Common Prayer

By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

14 Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. ⁴ He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. ⁵ Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

⁶ But now, brothers,^[a] if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? ⁷ Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸ For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? ⁹ So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. ¹² So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius^[a] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ He went out about the third hour,^[b] and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. ⁴ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour,^[c] and did likewise. ⁶ About the eleventh hour^[d] he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’

⁷ “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’

“He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’

⁸ “When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’ ⁹ “When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. ¹⁰ When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, ¹² saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

¹³ “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. ¹⁵ Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’ ¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”