Book of Common Prayer
There appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun. Michael fights with the dragon, who persecutes the woman.
12 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars. 2 And she was with child and cried out, travailing in birth, and pained, ready to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven, for behold: a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars and cast them to the earth.
And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered in order to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her Son was taken up to God and to his seat. 6 And the woman fled into wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there 1,260 days.
7 And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. And the dragon fought, and his angels, 8 but did not prevail; neither was their place found in heaven any more. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, who deceives all the world. And he was cast into the earth, and his angels were cast out also.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying, Now in heaven is made salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. For he is cast down who accused our brethren before God day and night.
16 For God so loves the world that he has given his only Son, so that none who believe in him should perish, but should have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world through him could be saved. 18 Whoever believes on him shall not be condemned. But whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he does not believe in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But whoever does truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be known, that they are wrought in God.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.