Book of Common Prayer

The Lord Is King

Sing a New Song to the Lord

(Written by David when he pretended to be crazy in front of Abimelech, so that Abimelech would send him away, and David could leave.)

Honor the Lord

Speaking Unknown Languages and Prophesying

14 Love should be your guide. Be eager to have the gifts that come from the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy. ² If you speak languages that others don't know, God will understand what you are saying, though no one else will know what you mean. You will be talking about mysteries that only the Spirit understands. ³ But when you prophesy, you will be understood, and others will be helped. They will be encouraged and made to feel better.

⁴ By speaking languages that others don't know, you help only yourself. But by prophesying you help everyone in the church. ⁵ I am glad for you to speak unknown languages, although I prefer that you would prophesy. In fact, prophesying does much more good than speaking unknown languages, unless someone can help the church by explaining what you mean.

⁶ My friends, what good would it do, if I came and spoke unknown languages to you and didn't explain what I meant? How would I help you, unless I told you what God had shown me or gave you some knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷ If all musical instruments sounded alike, how would you know the difference between a flute and a harp? ⁸ If a bugle call isn't clear, how would you know to get ready for battle?

⁹ This is how it is when you speak unknown languages. If no one can understand what you are talking about, you will only be talking to the wind. ¹⁰ There are many different languages in this world, and all of them make sense. ¹¹ But if I don't understand the language that someone is using, we will be like foreigners to each other. ¹² If you really want spiritual gifts, choose the ones that will be most helpful to the church.

Workers in a Vineyard

20 As Jesus was telling what the kingdom of heaven would be like, he said:

Early one morning a man went out to hire some workers for his vineyard. ² After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day's work, he sent them off to his vineyard.

³ About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do. ⁴ He promised to pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard. ⁵ So they went.

At noon and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were loafing around with nothing to do.

⁶ Finally, about five in the afternoon the man went back and found some others standing there. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”

⁷ “Because no one has hired us,” they answered. Then he told them to go work in his vineyard.

^8 (A) That evening the owner of the vineyard told the man in charge of the workers to call them in and give them their money. He also told the man to begin with the ones who were hired last. ⁹ When the workers arrived, the ones who had been hired at five in the afternoon were given a full day's pay.

¹⁰ The workers who had been hired first thought they would be given more than the others. But when they were given the same, ¹¹ they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard. ¹² They said, “The ones who were hired last worked for only one hour. But you paid them the same that you did us. And we worked in the hot sun all day long!”

¹³ The owner answered one of them, “Friend, I didn't cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on. ¹⁴ Take your money now and go! What business is it of yours if I want to pay them the same that I paid you? ¹⁵ Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you be jealous, if I want to be generous?”

^16 (B) Jesus then said, “So it is. Everyone who is now last will be first, and everyone who is first will be last.”