Book of Common Prayer

The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

God’s Eternity and the Brevity of Human Life.

A Prayer of ^[a]Moses, the man of God.

Thanks for the Lord’s Goodness to Israel.

Shechem and Abimelech Fall

²² Now Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. ^23 (A)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the ^[a]leaders of Shechem; and the ^[b]leaders of Shechem ^(B)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, ^24 (C)so that the violence ^[c]done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come, and the responsibility for ^(D)their blood would be placed on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the ^[d]leaders of Shechem, who ^[e]encouraged him to kill his brothers. ²⁵ The ^[f]leaders of Shechem set up men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who would pass by them on the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.

⁵⁰ Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the ^[a]leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. ⁵² So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire. ⁵³ But ^(A)a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. ⁵⁴ Then ^(B)he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So ^[b]the young man pierced him through, and he died. ⁵⁵ Now when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each left for his ^[c]home. ⁵⁶ So ^(C)God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. ⁵⁷ God also returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came ^[d]upon them.

Sharing among Believers

³² And the ^[a]congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them ^[b]claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but ^(A)all things were common property to them. ³³ And ^(B)with great power the apostles were giving ^(C)testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. ³⁴ For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses ^(D)would sell them and bring the ^[c]proceeds of the sales ³⁵ and ^(E)lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be ^(F)distributed to each to the extent that any had need.

³⁶ Now Joseph, a Levite of ^(G)Cyprian birth, who was also called ^(H)Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of ^[d](I)Encouragement), ^37 [e]owned a tract of land. So he sold it, and brought the money and ^(J)laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Fate of Ananias and Sapphira

5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ² and ^(K)kept back some of the ^[f]proceeds for himself, with his wife’s ^[g]full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he ^(L)laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has ^(M)Satan filled your heart to lie ^(N)to the Holy Spirit and to ^(O)keep back some of the ^[h]proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not ^[i]under your control? Why is it that you have ^[j]conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but ^(P)to God.” ⁵ And as he heard these words, Ananias ^(Q)collapsed and ^[k]died; and ^(R)great fear came over all who heard about it. ⁶ The young men got up and ^(S)covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

⁷ Now an interval of about three hours elapsed, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land ^(T)for ^[l]this price?” And she said, “Yes, for ^[m]that price.” ⁹ Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to ^(U)put ^(V)the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” ¹⁰ And immediately she ^(W)collapsed at his feet and ^[n]died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And ^(X)great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard about these things.

First Passover—Cleansing the Temple

^13 (A)The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus ^(B)went up to Jerusalem. ^14 (C)And within the temple grounds He found those who were selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵ And He made a whip of ^[a]cords, and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; ¹⁶ and to those who were selling ^(D)the doves He said, “Take these things away from here; stop making ^(E)My Father’s house a ^[b]place of business!” ¹⁷ His ^(F)disciples remembered that it was written: “^(G)Zeal for Your house will consume me.” ^18 (H)The Jews then said to Him, “^(I)What sign do You show us ^[c]as Your authority for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “^(J)Destroy this ^[d]temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ^20 (K)The Jews then said, “It took ^(L)forty-six years to build this ^[e]temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But He was speaking about ^(M)the ^[f]temple of His body. ²² So when He was raised from the dead, His ^(N)disciples ^(O)remembered that He said this; and they believed ^(P)the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

²³ Now when He was in Jerusalem at ^(Q)the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they ^(R)observed His signs which He was doing. ²⁴ But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because ^(S)He knew all people, ²⁵ and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, ^(T)for He Himself knew what was in mankind.