Book of Common Prayer

God Reigns

Give Glory to the Lord

By David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away. So David^[a] left.

Learning about God’s Deliverance

Prophecy and Languages

14 Keep on pursuing love, and keep on desiring spiritual gifts, especially the ability to prophesy. ² For the person who speaks in a foreign^[a] language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.^{[b] 3} But the person who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and comfort. ⁴ The person who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but the person who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

⁶ Indeed, brothers, if I come to you speaking in foreign languages, what good will I be to you unless I speak to you in some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching? ⁷ In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there’s no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? ⁸ For example, if a bugle doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You’ll be talking into the air!

¹⁰ There are, I suppose, many different languages^[c] in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If I don’t know the meaning of the language,^[d] I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹² In the same way, since you’re so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for building up the church.

The Workers in the Vineyard

20 “The kingdom from^[a] heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. ² After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius^[b] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ When he went out about nine o’clock,^[c] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. ⁴ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard, too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ ⁵ So off they went. He went out again about noon^[d] and about three o’clock^[e] and did the same thing. ⁶ About five o’clock^[f] he went out and found some others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why are you standing here all day long without work?’ ⁷ They told him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard as well.’

⁸ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with^[g] the first.’ ⁹ Those who were hired at five o’clock^[h] came, and each received a denarius.

¹⁰ “When the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each received a denarius as well. ¹¹ When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner, ¹² ‘These last fellows worked only one hour, but you paid them the same as us, and we’ve been working all day,^[i] enduring the scorching heat!’

¹³ “But he told one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn’t you? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go. I want to give this last man as much as I gave you.^{[j] 15} I am allowed to do what I want with my own money,^[k] am I not? Or are you envious^[l] because I’m generous?’

¹⁶ “In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last, because many are called, but few are chosen.”^[m]