Book of Common Prayer

²⁶ The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. `Get up,' said the angel. `Go south to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. It is desert there.'

²⁷ So Philip went. He saw a man from the country of Ethiopia. This man was a servant of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopian people. She gave this servant much power. He took care of her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship.

²⁸ Now he was on his way back. He sat in his carriage reading from the book which was written long ago by Isaiah, the prophet of God.

²⁹ The Spirit of the Lord said to Stephen, `Go over to that man in the carriage.'

³⁰ So Philip went running to him. He heard him reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. `Do you understand what you are reading?' Philip asked.

³¹ `How can I? I have no man to teach me,' he answered. He asked Philip to get into the carriage and ride with him.

³² This is what he was reading: `He was led as a sheep to be killed. A lamb says nothing while its wool is being cut, so he also says nothing.

³³ He was put down very low. He was not allowed to have a proper trial. He had no children to follow after him. For his life is taken from the earth.'

³⁴ Then the man from Ethiopia asked Philip, `Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about, himself or some other man?'

³⁵ Then Philip told him about Jesus. He began with what the man read in the book.

³⁶ While they were going along, they came to some water by the road. The man said, `See, here is water. What is there to stop me from being baptised?'

³⁷ Philip answered, `If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptised.' The man said, `I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'

³⁸ The man told the driver to stop. Then both he and Philip went down into the water, and Philip baptised him.

³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The man did not see him again, but he went on his way and was very happy.

⁴⁰ Next, Philip came to the town of Azotus. He told the good news in all the cities through which he passed. Then he came to Caesarea.

11 One day Jesus was in a place talking with God. When he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, `Lord, teach us to talk with God as John taught his disciples.'

² Jesus said, `When you talk with God, say, "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come.

³ Give us our food day by day.

⁴ Forgive us for the wrong things we have done. We forgive everyone who has done wrong to us. Do not lead us to be tested." '

⁵ Jesus said to them, `Maybe one of you has a friend. You go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread.

⁶ A friend has come to my house. He has been on the road. I have no food to give him to eat."

⁷ `Maybe the friend in the house answers you and says, "Do not trouble me. The door is locked. And my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything."

⁸ I tell you this. Maybe he will not give him anything because he is his friend. But he will get up and give him what he needs because he keeps on asking for it.

⁹ `And I tell you, ask and you will get what you ask for. Look and you will find what you look for. Knock and the door will be opened for you.

¹⁰ Everyone who asks will get. The one who looks will find. And the one who knocks will have the door opened for him.

¹¹ Which of you fathers will give your son a snake if he asks for a fish?

¹² Will you give him a scorpion [an insect with a sting] if he asks for an egg?

¹³ You are wrong and yet you know how to give good things to your children. Much more, the Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.'