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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 101

Psalm 101^[a]

A psalm of David.

101 I will sing about loyalty and justice.
To you, O Lord, I will sing praises.
²I will walk^[b] in the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace.^[c]
³I will not even consider doing what is dishonest.^[d]
I hate doing evil;^[e]
I will have no part of it.^[f]
⁴I will have nothing to do with a perverse person;^[g]
I will not permit^[h] evil.
⁵I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret.
I will not tolerate anyone who has a haughty demeanor and an arrogant attitude.^[i]
⁶I will favor the honest people of the land,^[j]
and allow them to live with me.^[k]
Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me.^[l]
⁷Deceitful people will not live in my palace.^[m]
Liars will not be welcome in my presence.^[n]
⁸Each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land,
and remove all evildoers from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 109:1-30

Psalm 109^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

109 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me.^[b]
²For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;
they lie to me.^[c]
³They surround me and say hateful things;^[d]
they attack me for no reason.
⁴They repay my love with accusations,^[e]
but I continue to pray.^[f]
⁵They repay me evil for good,^[g]
and hate for love.
⁶^[h] Appoint an evil man to testify against him.^[i]
May an accuser stand^[j] at his right side.
⁷When he is judged, he will be found^[k] guilty.^[l]
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
⁸May his days be few.^[m]
May another take his job.^[n]
⁹May his children^[o] be fatherless,
and his wife a widow.
¹⁰May his children^[p] roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.^[q]
¹¹May the creditor seize^[r] all he owns.
May strangers loot his property.^[s]
¹²May no one show him kindness.^[t]
May no one have compassion^[u] on his fatherless children.
¹³May his descendants^[v] be cut off.^[w]
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives.^[x]
¹⁴May his ancestors’^[y] sins be remembered by the Lord.
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten.^[z]
¹⁵May the Lord be constantly aware of them,^[aa]
and cut off the memory of his children^[ab] from the earth.
¹⁶For he never bothered to show kindness;^[ac]
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened.^[ad]
¹⁷He loved to curse^[ae] others, so those curses have come upon him.^[af]
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.^[ag]
¹⁸He made cursing a way of life,^[ah]
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil.^[ai]
¹⁹May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on,^[aj]
or a belt^[ak] one wears continually.
²⁰May the Lord repay my accusers in this way,^[al]
those who say evil things about^[am] me.^[an]
²¹O Sovereign Lord,
intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation.^[ao]
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me.
²²For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me.^[ap]
²³I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day;^[aq]
I am shaken off like a locust.
²⁴I am so starved my knees shake;^[ar]
I have turned into skin and bones.^[as]
²⁵I am disdained by them.^[at]
When they see me, they shake their heads.^[au]
²⁶Help me, O Lord my God.
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me.^[av]
²⁷Then they will realize^[aw] this is your work,^[ax]
and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.
²⁸They curse, but you will bless.^[ay]
When they attack, they will be humiliated,^[az]
but your servant will rejoice.
²⁹My accusers will be covered^[ba] with shame,
and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
³⁰I will thank the Lord profusely.^[bb]
In the middle of a crowd^[bc] I will praise him,

Footnotes

Psalm 109:1 sn Psalm 109. Appealing to God’s justice, the psalmist asks God to vindicate him and to bring severe judgment down upon his enemies.
Psalm 109:1 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
Psalm 109:2 tn Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”
Psalm 109:3 tn Heb “and [with] words of hatred they surround me.”
Psalm 109:4 tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”
Psalm 109:4 tn Heb “and I, prayer.”
Psalm 109:5 tn Heb “and they set upon me evil in place of good.”
Psalm 109:6 sn In vv. 6-19 the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies severely. Some attribute this curse-list to the psalmist’s enemies rather than the psalmist. In this case one should paraphrase v. 6: “They say about me, ‘Appoint an evil man, etc.’” Those supporting this line of interpretation point out that vv. 2-5 and 20 refer to the enemies’ attack on the psalmist being a verbal one. Furthermore in vv. 1-5, 20 the psalmist speaks of his enemies in the plural, while vv. 6-19 refer to an individual. This use of the singular in vv. 6-19 could be readily explained if this is the psalmist’s enemies’ curse on him. However, it is much more natural to understand vv. 6-19 as the psalmist’s prayer against his enemies. There is no introductory quotation formula in v. 6 to indicate that the psalmist is quoting anyone, and the statement “may the Lord repay my accusers in this way” in v. 20 most naturally appears to be a fitting conclusion to the prayer in vv. 6-19. But what about the use of the singular in vv. 6-19? Often in the psalms the psalmist will describe his enemies as a group, but then speak of them as an individual as well, as if viewing his adversaries collectively as one powerful foe. See, for example, Ps 7, where the psalmist uses both the plural (vv. 1, 6) and the singular (vv. 2, 4-5) in referring to enemies. Perhaps by using the singular in such cases, the psalmist wants to single out each enemy for individual attention, or perhaps he has one especially hostile enemy in mind who epitomizes the opposition of the whole group. This may well be the case in Ps 109. Perhaps we should understand the singular throughout vv. 6-19 in the sense of “each and every one.” For a lengthy and well-reasoned defense of the opposite view—that vv. 6-19 are a quotation of what the enemies said about the psalmist—see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 72-73.
Psalm 109:6 tn Heb “appoint against him an evil [man].”
Psalm 109:6 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive here (note the imperative in the preceding line).
Psalm 109:7 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as a jussive, but the use of the imperfect form in the following line suggests that v. 7 anticipates the outcome of the accusation envisioned in v. 6.
Psalm 109:7 tn Heb “he will go out [as] a criminal” (that is, guilty).
Psalm 109:8 tn The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ו] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19.
Psalm 109:8 tn The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה (p^equddah) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.
Psalm 109:9 tn Or “sons.”
Psalm 109:10 tn Or “sons.”
Psalm 109:10 tn Heb “and roaming, may his children roam and beg, and seek from their ruins.” Some, following the LXX, emend the term וְדָרְשׁוּ (v^edar^eshu, “and seek”) to יְגֹרְשׁוּ (y^egor^eshu; a Pual jussive, “may they be driven away” [see Job 30:5; cf. NIV, NRSV]), but דָּרַשׁ (darash) nicely parallels שִׁאֵלוּ (shiʾelu, “and beg”) in the preceding line.
Psalm 109:11 tn Heb “lay snares for” (see Ps 38:12).
Psalm 109:11 tn Heb “the product of his labor.”
Psalm 109:12 tn Heb “may there not be for him one who extends loyal love.”
Psalm 109:12 tn Perhaps this refers to being generous (see Ps 37:21).
Psalm 109:13 tn Or “offspring.”
Psalm 109:13 sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.
Psalm 109:13 tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”
Psalm 109:14 tn Or “fathers’ sins.”
Psalm 109:14 tn Heb “not be wiped out.”sn According to ancient Israelite theology and its doctrine of corporate solidarity and responsibility, children could be and often were punished for the sins of their parents. For a discussion of this issue see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). (Kaminsky, however, does not deal with Ps 109.)
Psalm 109:15 tn Heb “may they [that is, the sins mentioned in v. 14] be before the Lord continually.”
Psalm 109:15 tn Heb “their memory.” The plural pronominal suffix probably refers back to the children mentioned in v. 13, and for clarity this has been specified in the translation.
Psalm 109:16 tn Heb “he did not remember to do loyal love.”
Psalm 109:16 tn Heb “and he chased an oppressed and needy man, and one timid of heart to put [him] to death.”
Psalm 109:17 sn A curse in OT times consists of a formal appeal to God to bring judgment down upon another. Curses were sometimes justified (such as the one spoken by the psalmist here in vv. 6-19), but when they were not, the one pronouncing the curse was in danger of bringing the anticipated judgment down upon himself.
Psalm 109:17 tn Heb “and he loved a curse and it came [upon] him.” A reference to the evil man experiencing a curse seems premature here, for the psalmist is asking God to bring judgment on his enemies. For this reason some (cf. NIV, NRSV) prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” as conjunctive and translate the verb as a jussive of prayer (“may it come upon him!”). The prefixed form with vav consecutive in the next line is emended in the same way and translated, “may it be far from him.” However, the psalmist may be indicating that the evil man’s lifestyle has already begun to yield its destructive fruit.
Psalm 109:17 tn Heb “and he did not delight in a blessing and it is far from him.”
Psalm 109:18 tn Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”
Psalm 109:18 tn Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the verb from the preterite form וַתָּבֹא (vattavoʾ, “and it came”) to a jussive form וְתָבֹא (v^etavoʾ, “and may it come!”).
Psalm 109:19 tn Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”
Psalm 109:19 tn The Hebrew noun מֵזַח (mezakh, “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.
Psalm 109:20 tn Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the Lord.”
Psalm 109:20 tn Or “against.”
Psalm 109:20 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
Psalm 109:21 tn Heb “but you, Lord, Master, deal with me for the sake of your name” or “on account of your name.” Here “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation. The Psalmist’s appeal is for God to act consistently with, and therefore maintain, his reputation (as a deliverer of the righteous and one who punishes evildoers). Note that “for your name’s sake” is paralleled by “because your loyal love is good.” The point is that the Psalmist is making an appeal not based on his own personal whim or vendetta but is calling for judicial penalties (or the fulfillment of prior prophetic indictment).
Psalm 109:22 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a Polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbi yakhil b^eqirbbi, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).
Psalm 109:23 tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
Psalm 109:24 tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”
Psalm 109:24 tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”
Psalm 109:25 tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”
Psalm 109:25 sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.
Psalm 109:26 tn Heb “deliver me according to your faithfulness.”
Psalm 109:27 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
Psalm 109:27 tn Heb “that your hand [is] this.”
Psalm 109:28 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
Psalm 109:28 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.
Psalm 109:29 tn Heb “clothed.” Another option is to translate the prefixed verbal forms in this line and the next as jussives (“may my accusers be covered with shame”).
Psalm 109:30 tn Heb “I will thank the Lord very much with my mouth.”
Psalm 109:30 tn Heb “many.”

Psalm 119:121-144

ע (Ayin)

¹²¹I do what is fair and right.^[a]
Do not abandon me to my oppressors.
¹²²Guarantee the welfare of your servant.^[b]
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.
¹²³My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance,^[c]
for your reliable promise to be fulfilled.^[d]
¹²⁴Show your servant your loyal love.^[e]
Teach me your statutes.
¹²⁵I am your servant. Give me insight,
so that I can understand^[f] your rules.
¹²⁶It is time for the Lord to act—
they break your law.
¹²⁷For this reason^[g] I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
¹²⁸For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts.^[h]
I hate all deceitful actions.^[i]

פ (Pe)

¹²⁹Your rules are marvelous.
Therefore I observe them.
¹³⁰Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines.^[j]
They give^[k] insight to the untrained.^[l]
¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,
because I long^[m] for your commands.
¹³²Turn toward me and extend mercy to me,
as you typically do to your loyal followers.^[n]
¹³³Direct my steps by your word.^[o]
Do not let any sin dominate me.
¹³⁴Deliver me^[p] from oppressive men,
so that I can keep^[q] your precepts.
¹³⁵Smile^[r] on your servant.
Teach me your statutes!
¹³⁶Tears stream down from my eyes,^[s]
because people^[t] do not keep your law.

צ (Tsade)

¹³⁷You are just, O Lord,
and your judgments are fair.
¹³⁸The rules you impose are just,^[u]
and absolutely reliable.
¹³⁹My zeal^[v] consumes^[w] me,
for my enemies forget your instructions.^[x]
¹⁴⁰Your word is absolutely pure,
and your servant loves it.
¹⁴¹I am insignificant and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
¹⁴²Your justice endures,^[y]
and your law is reliable.^[z]
¹⁴³Distress and hardship confront^[aa] me,
yet I find delight in your commands.
¹⁴⁴Your rules remain just.^[ab]
Give me insight so that I can live.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:121 tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”
Psalm 119:122 tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”
Psalm 119:123 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your deliverance.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See the similar phrase in v. 82.
Psalm 119:123 tn Heb “and for the word of your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:124 tn Heb “do with your servant according to your loyal love.”
Psalm 119:125 tn or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:127 tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.
Psalm 119:128 tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the כ (kaf) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the ל (lamed) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.
Psalm 119:128 tn Heb “every false path.”
Psalm 119:130 tn Heb “the doorway of your words gives light.” God’s “words” refer here to the instructions in his law (see vv. 9, 57).
Psalm 119:130 tn Heb “it [i.e., the doorway] gives.”
Psalm 119:130 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Pss 19:7; 116:6.
Psalm 119:131 tn The verb occurs only here in the OT.
Psalm 119:132 tn Heb “according to custom toward the lovers of your name.” The “lovers of” God’s “name” are the Lord’s loyal followers. See Pss 5:11; 69:36; Isa 56:6.
Psalm 119:133 tn God’s “word” refers here to his law (see v. 11).
Psalm 119:134 tn Or “redeem me.”
Psalm 119:134 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:135 tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”
Psalm 119:136 tn Heb “[with] flowing streams my eyes go down.”
Psalm 119:136 tn Heb “they”; even though somewhat generic, the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Psalm 119:138 tn Heb “you commanded [in] justice your rules.”
Psalm 119:139 tn or “zeal.”
Psalm 119:139 tn Heb “destroys,” in a hyperbolic sense.
Psalm 119:139 tn Heb “your words.”
Psalm 119:142 tn Heb “your justice [is] justice forever.”
Psalm 119:142 tn Or “truth.”
Psalm 119:143 tn Heb “find.”
Psalm 119:144 tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”
Psalm 119:144 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

1 Samuel 7:2-17

Further Conflict with the Philistines

²It was quite a long time—some twenty years in all—that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people^[a] of Israel longed for^[b] the Lord. ³Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth.^[c] Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you^[d] from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴So the Israelites^[e] removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord.

⁵Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” ⁶After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed^[f] there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led^[g] the people of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸The Israelites said to Samuel, “Keep^[h] crying out to the Lord our^[i] God so that he may save us^[j] from the hand of the Philistines!” ⁹So Samuel took a nursing lamb^[k] and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

¹⁰As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel.^[l] But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by^[m] Israel. ¹¹Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.

¹²Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen.^[n] He named it Ebenezer,^[o] saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.” ¹³So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

¹⁴The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control^[p] of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. ¹⁵So Samuel led^[q] Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all these places. ¹⁷Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged^[r] Israel there and built an altar to the Lord there.

Acts 6

The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons

6 Now in those^[a] days, when the disciples were growing in number,^[b] a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews^[c] against the native Hebraic Jews,^[d] because their widows^[e] were being overlooked^[f] in the daily distribution of food.^[g] ²So the twelve^[h] called^[i] the whole group^[j] of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.^[k] ³But carefully select from among you, brothers,^[l] seven^[m] men who are well-attested,^[n] full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge^[o] of this necessary task.^[p] ⁴But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵The^[q] proposal pleased the entire group, so^[r] they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with^[s] Philip,^[t] Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism^[u] from Antioch. ⁶They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed^[v] and placed^[w] their hands on them. ⁷The word of God continued to spread,^[x] the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group^[y] of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen is Arrested

⁸Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs^[z] among the people. ⁹But some men from the Synagogue^[aa] of the Freedmen (as it was called),^[ab] both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia,^[ac] stood up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰Yet^[ad] they were not able to resist^[ae] the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. ¹¹Then they secretly instigated^[af] some men to say, “We have heard this man^[ag] speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹²They incited the people, the^[ah] elders, and the experts in the law;^[ai] then they approached Stephen,^[aj] seized him, and brought him before the council.^[ak] ¹³They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place^[al] and the law.^[am] ¹⁴For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs^[an] that Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵All^[ao] who were sitting in the council^[ap] looked intently at Stephen^[aq] and saw his face was like the face of an angel.^[ar]

Footnotes

Acts 6:1 tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.
Acts 6:1 tn Grk “were multiplying.”
Acts 6:1 tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.sn The Greek-speaking Jews were the Hellenists, Jews who to a greater or lesser extent had adopted Greek thought, customs, and lifestyle, as well as the Greek language. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was a focal point for them, but they were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
Acts 6:1 tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.
Acts 6:1 sn The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Isa 1:17-23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.
Acts 6:1 tn Or “neglected.”
Acts 6:1 tn Grk “in the daily serving.”sn The daily distribution of food. The early church saw it as a responsibility to meet the basic needs of people in their group.
Acts 6:2 sn The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.
Acts 6:2 tn Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 6:2 tn Or “the multitude.”
Acts 6:2 tn Grk “to serve tables.”
Acts 6:3 tn It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).
Acts 6:3 sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).
Acts 6:3 tn Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).
Acts 6:3 tn The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.
Acts 6:3 tn Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.
Acts 6:5 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 6:5 tn The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.
Acts 6:5 tn “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.
Acts 6:5 sn Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).
Acts 6:5 tn Or “a proselyte.”
Acts 6:6 tn Literally this is a participle in the Greek text (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi). It could be translated as a finite verb (“and they prayed and placed their hands on them”) but much smoother English results if the entire coordinate clause is converted to a relative clause that refers back to the apostles.sn Who prayed. The prayer indicates their acceptance and commissioning for ministry (cf. Deut 34:9).
Acts 6:6 tn Or “laid.”
Acts 6:7 tn Grk “kept on spreading”; the verb has been translated as a progressive imperfect.
Acts 6:7 tn Grk “a great multitude.”sn A large group. Many Jews, even some religious leaders, were responding.
Acts 6:8 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.
Acts 6:9 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
Acts 6:9 tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenēs) by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).
Acts 6:9 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
Acts 6:10 tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.
Acts 6:10 sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.
Acts 6:11 tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.
Acts 6:11 tn Grk “heard him,” but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”
Acts 6:12 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
Acts 6:12 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
Acts 6:12 tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 6:12 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
Acts 6:13 sn This holy place is a reference to the temple.
Acts 6:13 sn The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15-19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16-18; 20:16; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.
Acts 6:14 tn Or “practices.”sn Will destroy this place and change the customs. Stephen appears to view the temple as a less central place in light of Christ’s work, an important challenge to Jewish religion, since it was at this time a temple-centered state and religion. Unlike Acts 3-4, the issue here is more than Jesus and his resurrection. Now the impact of his resurrection and the temple’s centrality has also become an issue. The “falseness” of the charge may not be that the witnesses were lying, but that they falsely read the truth of Stephen’s remarks.
Acts 6:15 tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 6:15 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
Acts 6:15 tn Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 6:15 sn His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.

Luke 22:14-23

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁴Now^[a] when the hour came, Jesus^[b] took his place at the table^[c] and the apostles joined^[d] him. ¹⁵And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired^[e] to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again^[f] until it is fulfilled^[g] in the kingdom of God.”^[h] ¹⁷Then^[i] he took a cup,^[j] and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit^[k] of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”^[l] ¹⁹Then^[m] he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body^[n] which is given for you.^[o] Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰And in the same way he took^[p] the cup after they had eaten,^[q] saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant^[r] in my blood.

A Final Discourse

²¹“But look, the hand of the one who betrays^[s] me is with me on the table.^[t] ²²For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined,^[u] but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” ²³So^[v] they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.

Footnotes

Luke 22:14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
Luke 22:14 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 22:14 tn Grk “reclined at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
Luke 22:14 tn Grk “the apostles with him.”
Luke 22:15 tn This phrase parallels a Hebrew infinitive absolute and serves to underline Jesus’ enthusiasm for holding this meal (BDF §198.6).
Luke 22:16 tn Although the word “again” is not in the Greek text, it is supplied to indicate that Jesus did indeed partake of this Passover meal, as statements in v. 18 suggest (“from now on”). For more complete discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1720.
Luke 22:16 sn Jesus looked to a celebration in the kingdom to come when the Passover is fulfilled. This reference could well suggest that some type of commemorative sacrifice and meal will be celebrated then, as the antecedent is the Passover sacrifice. The reference is not to the Lord’s supper as some argue, but the Passover.
Luke 22:16 sn The kingdom of God here refers to the kingdom in all its power. See Luke 17:20-37.
Luke 22:17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 22:17 sn Then he took a cup. Only Luke mentions two cups at this meal; the other synoptic gospels (Matt, Mark) mention only one. This is the first of the two. It probably refers to the first cup in the traditional Passover meal, which today has four cups (although it is debated whether the fourth cup was used in the 1st century).
Luke 22:18 tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
Luke 22:18 sn Until the kingdom of God comes is a reference to the kingdom in all its power. See Luke 17:20-37. Jesus awaits celebration with the arrival of full kingdom blessing.
Luke 22:19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 22:19 tc Some significant Western witnesses (D it) lack the words from this point to the end of v. 20. However, the authenticity of these verses is very likely. It is found in a variety of witnesses that represent a broad geographical base (P⁷⁵ א A B C L T^vid W Δ Θ Ψ ƒ^1,13 M al co), rendering the rise of the shorter reading much easier of explanation than the reverse. Further, the inclusion of the second cup is the harder reading, since it differs from Matt 26:26-29 and Mark 14:22-25. Further discussion of this complicated problem (the most difficult in Luke) can be found in TCGNT 148-50.
Luke 22:19 sn The language of the phrase given for you alludes to Christ’s death in our place. It is a powerful substitutionary image of what he did for us.
Luke 22:20 tn The words “he took” are not in the Greek text at this point, but are an understood repetition from v. 19.
Luke 22:20 tn The phrase “after they had eaten” translates the temporal infinitive construction μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι (meta to deipnēsai), where the verb δειπνέω (deipneō) means “to eat a meal” or “to have a meal.”
Luke 22:20 sn Jesus’ death established the forgiveness promised in the new covenant of Jer 31:31. Jesus is reinterpreting the symbolism of the Passover meal, indicating the presence of a new era.
Luke 22:21 sn The one who betrays me. Jesus knows about Judas and what he has done.
Luke 22:21 sn The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him—somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.
Luke 22:22 sn Jesus’ death has been determined as a part of God’s plan (Acts 2:22-24).
Luke 22:23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ comments: The disciples begin wondering who would betray him.

New English Translation (NET)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 101[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 109[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

Footnotes

ע (Ayin)

פ (Pe)

צ (Tsade)

Footnotes

Further Conflict with the Philistines

Footnotes

The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons

Stephen is Arrested

Footnotes

The Lord’s Supper

A Final Discourse

Footnotes

Psalm 101^[a]

Psalm 109^[a]