Book of Common Prayer

Thanksgiving for Jehovah’s saving goodness.

Jehovah extolled for his goodness and power.

A Psalm of praise; of David.

20 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. ² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying, ³ Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. ⁴ And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone ^[a]out into ^[b]the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, ⁵ Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the ^[c]prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah. ⁶ And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. ⁷ And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

⁸ And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Jehovah will heal me, and that I shall go up unto the house of Jehovah the third day? ⁹ And Isaiah said, This shall be the sign unto thee from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do the thing that he hath spoken: ^[d]shall the shadow go forward ten ^[e]steps, or go back ten steps? ¹⁰ And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. ¹¹ And Isaiah the prophet cried unto Jehovah; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the ^[f]dial of Ahaz.

¹² At that time ^[g]Berodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³ And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his ^[h]precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and ^[i]the house of his ^[j]armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. ¹⁴ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. ¹⁵ And he said, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.

¹⁶ And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of Jehovah. ¹⁷ Behold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah. ¹⁸ And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, Is it not so, if peace and truth shall be in my days? ²⁰ Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? ²¹ And Hezekiah slept with his fathers; and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

12 Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. ² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³ And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. ⁴ And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. ⁵ Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. ⁶ And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸ And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁹ And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done ^[a]by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰ And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. ¹¹ And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. ¹² And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. ¹⁴ And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate. ¹⁵ And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel. ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. ¹⁷ But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.

¹¹ And it came to pass ^[a]soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain; and his disciples went with him, and a great multitude. ¹² Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. ¹⁴ And he came nigh and touched the bier: and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. ¹⁵ And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ And fear took hold on all: and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us: and, God hath visited his people. ¹⁷ And this report went forth concerning him in the whole of Judaea, and all the region round about.