Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 136[a]
Thanksgiving for the Creation and Redemption
1 [b]Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his love endures forever.
4 He alone works great wonders,
for his love endures forever.
5 [c]In his wisdom he made the heavens,
for his love endures forever.
6 He spread out the earth upon the waters,[d]
for his love endures forever.
7 He made the great lights,
for his love endures forever.
8 He made the sun to rule over the day,
for his love endures forever.
9 He made the moon and stars to rule the night,
for his love endures forever.
10 [e]He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his love endures forever.
11 He led forth Israel from among them,
for his love endures forever.
12 He did so with a strong hand and outstretched arm,
for his love endures forever.
13 [f]He divided the Red Sea in two,
for his love endures forever.
14 Then he led Israel through its midst,
for his love endures forever.
15 But he swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his love endures forever.
16 [g]Then he led his people through the wilderness,
for his love endures forever.
17 He struck down great kings,
for his love endures forever.
18 He slew powerful kings,
for his love endures forever.
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his love endures forever.
20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his love endures forever.
21 [h]He gave their land as a heritage,
for his love endures forever.
22 The heritage was for his servant Israel,
for his love endures forever.
23 The Lord remembered us in our wretched state,
for his love endures forever.
24 He rescued us from our enemies,
for his love endures forever.
25 [i]He provides food to every creature,
for his love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his love endures forever.
Psalm 118[a]
Thanksgiving for Salvation
1 [b]Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his kindness[c] endures forever.
2 Let Israel say,
“His kindness endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His kindness endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord[d] say,
“His kindness endures forever.”
5 [e]In my distress I called out to the Lord;
he answered by setting me free.
6 With the Lord to protect me I am not afraid.
What can mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is at my side to offer me help;
I will look down upon my enemies.
8 [f]It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to place your trust in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to place your trust in princes.
10 [g]All the nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I overcame them.
11 They surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the Lord I overcame them.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
they blazed like a fire in the midst of thorns;
in the name of the Lord I overcame them.
13 I was hard pressed and close to falling,
but the Lord came to my aid.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.[h]
15 Joyful shouts of triumph
ring out in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord has done wondrous deeds;
16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord has done wondrous deeds.”
17 I shall not die; rather I shall live
and recount[i] the works of the Lord.
18 Even though the Lord punished me harshly,
he did not hand me over to death.
19 [j]Open to me the gates of righteousness
so that I may enter them and praise the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous enter.
21 I thank you for having answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 [k]The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;[l]
let us exult and rejoice in it.
25 O Lord, grant us salvation.[m]
O Lord, grant us success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.[n]
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has given us light.
Holding leafy branches, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.[o]
28 [p]You are my God, and I will offer thanks to you;
you are my God, and I will extol you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his kindness endures forever.
Psalm 119[q]
Praise of God’s Law
Aleph
Chapter 12
1 “At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
the guardian of your people.
Then there will be a period
that will be unsurpassed in distress
since nations first came into existence.
At that time your own people will be spared,
everyone whose names are found written in the book.
2 “Many of those shall awake
who sleep in the dust of the earth.
Some shall gain everlasting life;
others will earn shame and everlasting disgrace.
3 However, the wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavens,
and those who lead many to righteousness
will be as bright as the stars forever and ever.
4 As for you, Daniel,
keep these words secret,
and seal the book until the time of the end.
Many shall fall away,
and evils shall increase.”
13 But you, go on your way and rest. Then you will rise for your reward at the end of the ages.”
Chapter 4
First Phase of the Trial: A Warning.[a] 1 While they were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard,[b] and the Sadducees came over to them, 2 greatly annoyed that they were teaching and proclaiming to the people the resurrection of the dead through Jesus. 3 Therefore, they arrested them and placed them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who had listened to their message became believers, their total approaching five thousand.
5 On the next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,[c] Alexander, and all who belonged to the high priestly family. 7 They then brought the apostles before them and asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if you are interrogating us today in regard to a good deed done to someone who was crippled and how he was healed, 10 let it be known to you and to all the people of Israel that it was in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead, that this man standing before you was cured. 11 This is
‘the stone rejected by you, the builders,
that has become the cornerstone.’
12 There is no salvation in anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.”
Chapter 16
1 “I have told you this
to prevent you from falling away.
2 They will expel you from the synagogues.
Indeed the hour is coming
when anyone who kills you
will believe that by doing so
he is serving God.
3 And people will do such things
because they have not known the Father or me.
4 But I have told you this
so that when the hour arrives
you may remember that I forewarned you about them.
The Spirit of Truth, Our Guide to All Truth[a]
“I did not tell you all this previously
because I was with you.
5 But now I am going away
to the one who sent me.
Not one of you asks me,
‘Where are you going?’
6 However, because I have told you this,
you are overcome with grief.
7 “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth:
it is better for you that I depart.
For if I do not go away,
the Advocate will not come to you,
whereas if I go,
I will send him to you.
8 “And when he comes,
he will prove the world wrong
about sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 about sin,
because they do not believe in me;
10 about righteousness,
because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no longer;
11 about judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12 “I have much more to tell you,
but you would not be able to bear it now.
13 But when the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you into all the truth.
He will not speak on his own authority,
but he will speak what he hears,
and he will declare to you
the things that are coming.
14 He will glorify me,
for he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine.
That is why I said
that he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.
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