Book of Common Prayer

78 A psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.

² They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.

³ They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.

⁴ We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

⁵ How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?

⁶ Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

⁷ Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.

⁸ Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.

⁹ Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake:

¹⁰ Lest they should say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? And let him be made known among the nations before our eyes, By the revenging the blood of thy servants, which hath been shed:

¹¹ Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee. According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to death.

¹² And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

¹³ But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

¹⁸ And David went in, and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

¹⁹ But yet this hath seemed little in thy sight, O Lord God, unless thou didst also speak of the house of thy servant for a long time to come: for this is the law of Adam, O Lord God.

²⁰ And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God:

²¹ For thy word's sake, and according to thy own heart thou hast done all these great things, so that thou wouldst make it known to thy servant.

²² Therefore thou art magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to thee, neither is there any God besides thee, in all the things that we have heard with our ears.

²³ And what nation is there upon earth, as thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for them great and terrible things, upon the earth, before the face of thy people, whom thou redeemedst to thyself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods.

²⁴ For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art become their God.

²⁵ And now, O Lord God, raise up for ever the word that thou hast spoken, concerning thy servant and concerning his house: and do as thou hast spoken,

²⁶ That thy name may be magnified for ever, and it may be said: The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall be established before the Lord.

²⁷ Because thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying: I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee.

²⁸ And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words shall be true: for thou hast spoken to thy servant these good things.

²⁹ And now begin, and bless the house of thy servant, that it may endure for ever before thee: because thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

¹² But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

¹³ Saying: This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

¹⁴ And when Paul was beginning to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: If it were some matter of injustice, or an heinous deed, O Jews, I should with reason bear with you.

¹⁵ But if they be questions of word and names, and of your law, look you to it: I will not be judge of such things.

¹⁶ And he drove them from the judgment seat.

¹⁷ And all laying hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, beat him before the judgment seat; and Gallio cared for none of those things.

¹⁸ But Paul, when he had stayed yet many days, taking his leave of the brethren, sailed thence into Syria (and with him Priscilla and Aquila), having shorn his head in Cenchrae: for he had a vow.

¹⁹ And he came to Ephesus, and left them there. But he himself entering into the synagogue, disputed with the Jews.

²⁰ And when they desired him, that he would tarry a longer time, he consented not;

²¹ But taking his leave, and saying: I will return to you again, God willing, he departed from Ephesus.

²² And going down to Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem, and saluted the church, and so came down to Antioch.

²³ And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, confirming all the disciples.

²⁴ Now a certain Jew, named Apollo, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, one mighty in the scriptures.

²⁵ This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, spoke, and taught diligently the things that are of Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John.

²⁶ This man therefore began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Whom when Priscilla and Aquila had heard, they took him to them, and expounded to him the way of the Lord more diligently.

²⁷ And whereas he was desirous to go to Achaia, the brethren exhorting, wrote to the disciples to receive him. Who, when he was come, helped them much who had believed.

²⁸ For with much vigour he convinced the Jews openly, shewing by the scriptures, that Jesus is the Christ.

²² And they came to Bethsaida; and they bring to him a blind man, and they besought him that he would touch him.

²³ And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the town; and spitting upon his eyes, laying his hands on him, he asked him if he saw any thing.

²⁴ And looking up, he said: I see men as it were trees, walking.

²⁵ After that again he laid his hands upon his eyes, and he began to see, and was restored, so that he saw all things clearly.

²⁶ And he sent him into his house, saying: Go into thy house, and if thou enter into the town, tell nobody.

²⁷ And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And in the way, he asked his disciples, saying to them: Whom do men say that I am?

²⁸ Who answered him, saying: John the Baptist; but some Elias, and others as one of the prophets.

²⁹ Then he saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Peter answering said to him: Thou art the Christ.

³⁰ And he strictly charged them that they should not tell any man of him.

³¹ And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed: and after three days rise again.

³² And he spoke the word openly. And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him.

³³ Who turning about and seeing his disciples, threatened Peter, saying: Go behind me, Satan, because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but that are of men.