Book of Common Prayer

God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

A Psalm of ^[a]Asaph.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

For the music director; set to ^[a]Al-tashheth. A ^[b]Mikhtam of David, ^[c]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

Grieving over Defeat in Battle, and Prayer for Help.

For the music director; according to ^[u]Shushan Eduth. A ^[v]Mikhtam of David, to teach; ^[w]when he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the music director. A Song. A Psalm.

The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.

For the music director; with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

³ The inhabitants of ^(A)Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴ but they on their part acted craftily and went and took provisions for a journey, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were worn out, split open, and patched, ⁵ and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. ⁶ And they went to Joshua at the ^(B)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now then, make a covenant with us.” ⁷ But the men of Israel said to the ^(C)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living ^[a]within our land; ^(D)how then are we to make a covenant with you?” ⁸ So they said to Joshua, “^(E)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” ⁹ They said to him, “Your servants have come from ^(F)a very distant country because of the ^[b]fame of the Lord your God; for ^(G)we have heard the report about Him and all that He did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was in Ashtaroth. ¹¹ So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “^(H)We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ ¹² This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. ¹³ And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are split open; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out from the very long journey.” ¹⁴ So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and ^(I)did not ask for the ^[c]counsel of the Lord. ¹⁵ And ^(J)Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

¹⁶ However, it came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living ^[d]within their land. ¹⁷ Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were ^(K)Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. ¹⁸ But the sons of Israel did not ^[e]attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. ¹⁹ But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. ²⁰ This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath which we swore to them.” ²¹ So the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” And they became ^(L)gatherers of firewood and ^[f]labor to draw water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

Self-denial in behalf of Others

15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of ^(A)those without strength, and not just please ourselves. ² Each of us is to ^(B)please his neighbor ^[a]for his good, to his ^(C)edification. ³ For even ^(D)Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “^(E)The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me.” ⁴ For ^(F)whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ Now may the ^(G)God ^[b]who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you ^(H)to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that with one purpose and one ^[c]voice you may glorify ^(I)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Therefore, ^[d](J)accept one another, just as Christ also accepted ^[e]us, for the glory of God. ⁸ For I say that Christ has become a servant to ^(K)the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm ^(L)the promises given to the fathers, ⁹ and for ^(M)the Gentiles to ^(N)glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:

¹⁰ Again he says,

¹¹ And again,

¹² Again Isaiah says,

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all ^(U)joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope ^(V)by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s Denials

^69 (A)Now Peter was sitting outside in the ^(B)courtyard, and a slave woman came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ When he had gone out to the gateway, another slave woman saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it, with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You really are one of them as well, ^(C)since even the way you talk ^[a]gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the Man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had ^[b]made: “^(D)Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.