Book of Common Prayer

The majesty of Jehovah.

A call to worship Jehovah the Righteous Judge.

Jehovah a provider and deliverer.

A Psalm of David; ^[a]when he ^[b]changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

⁸ And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. ⁹ And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passeth by us continually. ¹⁰ Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber ^[a]on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. ¹¹ And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. ¹² And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³ And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast ^[b]been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. ¹⁴ And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old. ¹⁵ And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. ¹⁶ And he said, At this season, when the time ^[c]cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.

¹⁷ And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her. ¹⁸ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. ¹⁹ And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. ²⁰ And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. ²¹ And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. ²² And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the servants, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. ²³ And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, ^[d]It shall be well. ²⁴ Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slacken me not the riding, except I bid thee. ²⁵ So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel.

And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: ²⁶ run, I pray thee, now to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. ²⁷ And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is ^[e]vexed within her; and Jehovah hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. ²⁸ Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? ²⁹ Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. ³⁰ And the mother of the child said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. ³¹ And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor ^[f]hearing. Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

³² And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. ³³ He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto Jehovah. ³⁴ And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he ^[g]stretched himself upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. ³⁵ Then he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and ^[h]stretched himself upon him: ^[i]and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ³⁶ And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. ³⁷ Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; ¹² and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³ But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴ and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. ¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a ^[a]chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁶ for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake. ¹⁷ And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened.

And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God. ²¹ And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests. ²² But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

²³ And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶ And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, ²⁹ preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the ^[b]Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰ And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being ^[c]edified; and, walking ^[d]in the fear of the Lord and ^[e]in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.

⁷ He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of ^[a]repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¹⁰ And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do? ¹¹ And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise. ¹² And there came also ^[b]publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do? ¹³ And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you. ¹⁴ And ^[c]soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with your wages.

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ; ¹⁶ John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not ^[d]worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you ^[e]in the Holy Spirit and in fire: ¹⁷ whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

¹⁸ With many other exhortations therefore preached he ^[f]good tidings unto the people;