Book of Common Prayer
The [a]Psalms of David
1 Whether it was Esdras, or any other that gathered the Psalms into a book, it seemeth he did set this Psalm first in manner of a preface, to exhort all godly men to study and meditate the heavenly wisdom. For the effect hereof is, 1 That they be blessed which give themselves wholly all their life to the holy Scriptures; 4 and that the wicked contemners of God, though they seem for a while happy, yet at length shall come to miserable destruction.
1 Blessed is the man that doth not walk in the [b]counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the (A)law of the Lord, and in his [c]law doth he meditate day and night.
3 For he shall be like a (B)tree planted by the rivers of waters, that will bring forth her fruits in due season: whose leaf shall not fade: so [d]whatsoever he shall do, shall prosper.
4 [e]The wicked are not so, but as the chaff, which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the [f]judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord [g]knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked shall perish.
2 The Prophet David rejoiceth, that notwithstanding his enemies’ rage, yet God will continue his kingdom forever, and advance it even to the end of the world, 10 and therefore exhorteth kings and rulers, that they would humbly submit themselves under God’s yoke, because it is in vain to resist God. Herein is figured Christ’s kingdom.
1 Why do the [h]heathen (C)rage, and the people murmur in vain.
2 The kings of the earth band themselves, and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord, and against his [i]Christ.
3 [j]Let us break their bands, and cast their cords from us.
4 (D)But he that dwelleth in the heaven shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 [k]Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure, saying,
6 Even I have set my King upon Zion mine holy mountain.
7 I will declare the [l]decree: that is, the Lord hath said unto me, (E)Thou art my son; this [m]day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the [n]ends of the earth for thy possession.
9 (F)Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 [o]Be wise now therefore, ye kings: be learned ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling.
12 [p]Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye [q]perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn. Blessed are all that trust in him.
3 David driven forth of his kingdom, was greatly tormented in mind for his sins against God: 4 And therefore calleth upon God, and waxeth bold through his promises, against the great railings and terrors of his enemies, yea against death itself, which he saw present before his eyes. 7 Finally, he rejoiceth for the good success that God gave him and all the Church.
A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.
1 Lord, how are mine adversaries [r]increased? how many rise against me?
2 Many say to my soul, There is no help for him in God. [s]Selah.
3 But thou Lord art a buckler for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I did call unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy mountain. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept, and rose up again: for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid for [t]ten thousand of the people, that should beset me round about.
7 O Lord, arise: help me, my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone: thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.
8 [u]Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
4 When Saul persecuted him, he called upon God, trusting most assuredly in his promise, and therefore boldly reproveth his enemies, who willfully resisted his dominion, 7 and finally preferreth the favor of God before all worldly treasures.
[v]To him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalm of David.
1 Hear me when I call, [w]O God of my righteousness: thou hast set me at liberty, when I was in [x]distress: have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.
2 O ye [y]sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame, [z]loving vanity, and seeking lies? Selah.
3 For be ye sure that the Lord hath chosen to himself [aa]a godly man, the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
4 [ab]Tremble and sin not: examine your own heart upon your bed, and be [ac]still. Selah.
5 [ad]Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord.
6 Many say, Who will show us any [ae]good? but Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast given me more joy of heart, than they have had, when their wheat and their wine did abound.
8 I will lay me down, and also sleep in peace: for thou, [af]Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
7 Being falsely accused by Cush one of Saul’s kinsmen, he calleth to God to be his defender, 3 to whom he commendeth his innocence, 9 first showing that his conscience did not accuse him of any evil toward Saul. 10 Next that it touched God’s glory to award sentence against the wicked. 12 And so entering into the consideration of God’s mercies and promise, he waxeth bold, and derideth the vain enterprises of his enemies, 15 threatening that that shall fall on their own neck which they have purposed for others.
[a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the [b]words of (A)Cush the son of Benjamin.
1 O Lord my God, in thee I put my trust: save me from all that persecute me, and deliver me,
2 Lest [c]he devour my soul like a lion, and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done [d]this thing, if there be any wickedness in mine hands,
4 [e]If I have rewarded evil unto him that had peace with me, (yea I have delivered him that vexed me without cause.)
5 Then let the enemies persecute my soul, and take it: yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine [f]honor in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O Lord, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself against the rage of mine enemies, and awake for me according to the [g]judgment that thou hast appointed.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore [h]return on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the people: judge thou me, O Lord, according to my [i]righteousness, and according to mine innocency that is in me.
9 Oh let the malice of the wicked come to an end: but guide thou the just: for the righteous God trieth the [j]hearts and reins.
10 My defense is in God, who preserveth the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and him that contemneth God, [k]every day.
12 Except [l]he turn, he hath whet his sword: he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared him deadly weapons: he will ordain his arrows for them that persecute me.
14 (B)Behold, he shall travail with wickedness: for he hath conceived mischief, but he shall bring forth a lie.
15 He hath made a pit, and dug it, and is fallen into the pit that he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his cruelty shall fall upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the Lord according to his [m]righteousness, and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high.
4 ¶ These are the [a]generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were created, in the day, that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
5 And every [b]plant of the field, before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field, before it grew, for the Lord God had not caused it to [c]rain upon the earth, neither was there a man to till the ground,
6 But a mist went up from the earth, and watered all the earth.
7 ¶ The Lord God also [d]made the man [e]of the dust of the ground, and breathed in his face breath of life, (A)and the man was a living soul.
8 And the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in [f]Eden, and there he put the man whom he had made.
9 (For out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree pleasant to the sight, and good for meat: the [g]tree of life also in the midst of the garden, [h]and the tree of knowledge of good and of evil.
10 And out of Eden went a river to water the garden, and from thence it was divided, and became into four heads.
11 The name of one is Pishon: the same compasseth the whole land of [i]Havilah, where is gold.
12 And the gold of that land is good: there is [j]Bdellium, and the Onyx stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same compasseth the whole land of [k]Cush.
14 And the name of the [third] river is [l]Hiddekel: this goeth toward the East side of [m]Ashshur: and the fourth river is [n]Parah)
15 ¶ Then the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, that he might [o]dress it, and keep it.
16 And the Lord God [p]commanded the man, saying, [q]Thou shalt eat freely of every tree of the garden,
17 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for [r]in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the [s]death.
18 Also the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be himself alone: I will make him an help [t]meet for him.
19 So the Lord God formed of the earth every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heaven, and brought them unto the [u]man to see how he would call them: for howsoever the man named the living creature, so was the name thereof.
20 The man therefore gave names unto all cattle, and to the fowl of the heaven, and to every beast of the field: but for Adam found he not an helper meet for him.
21 ¶ Therefore the Lord God caused an heavy sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in stead thereof.
22 And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man, [v]made he a [w]woman, and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, (B)This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called [x]woman, because she was taken out of the man.
24 (C)Therefore shall man leave [y]his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not [z]ashamed.
The Epistle to the Hebrews
The drift and end of this Epistle, is to show that Jesus Christ the Son of God both God and man, is that true eternal and only Prophet, King, and high Priest, that was shadowed by the figures of the old Law, and is now indeed exhibited: of whom the whole Church ought to be taught, governed and sanctified.
1 2 To show that the doctrine which Christ brought, is most excellent, in that it is the knitting up of all prophecies, 4 he advanceth him above the Angels: 10 And proveth by divers testimonies of the Scripture, that he far passeth all others.
1 At [a]sundry times and in divers manners God spake in the old time to our fathers by the Prophets: in these [b]last days he hath spoken unto us by his [c]Son,
2 [d]Whom he hath made [e]heir of all things, by whom also he made the [f]worlds,
3 (A)Who being the [g]brightness of the glory, and the engraved form of his [h]person, and [i]bearing up all things by his mighty word: [j]hath by himself purged our sins: and [k]sitteth at the right hand of the Majesty in the highest places,
4 [l]And is made so much more excellent than the Angels, inasmuch as he hath obtained a more excellent [m]Name than they.
5 [n]For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, (B)Thou art my Son, [o]this day begat I thee? and again, I (C)will be his Father, and he shall be my Son:
6 And [p]again, when he bringeth in his first begotten Son into the world, he saith, (D)And let all the Angels of God worship him.
7 And of the Angels he saith, (E)He maketh the spirits his [q]messengers, and his ministers a flame [r]of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, (F)O God, thy [s]throne is forever [t]and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a [u]scepter of righteousness.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness and [v]hated iniquity. Wherefore God, even thy God, hath [w]anointed thee with the oil of gladness, above thy [x]fellows.
10 And, (G)Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast [y]established the earth, and the heavens are the works of thine hands.
11 They shall perish, but thou dost remain, and they all shall wax old as doth a garment,
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
13 Unto which also of the Angels said he at any time, (H)Sit at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all [z]ministering spirits, sent forth to minister, for their sakes which shall be heirs of salvation?
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ, According to John
1 That Word begotten of God before all worlds, 2 and which was ever with the Father, 14 is made man. 6, 7 For what end John was sent from God. 15 His preaching of Christ’s office. 19, 20 The record that he bare given out unto the Priests. 40 The calling of Andrew, 42 of Peter, 43 Philip, 45 and Nathanael.
1 In [a]the [b]beginning [c]was [d]that Word, and that Word was [e]with God, and that [f]Word was God.
2 This same was in the beginning with God.
3 (A)[g]All [h]things were made by it, and [i]without it [j]was made nothing that was made.
4 [k]In it [l]was life, and that life was [m]the light of men.
5 [n]And that light shineth in the wilderness, and the darkness [o]comprehendeth it not.
6 ¶ (B)[p]There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This same came for a witness, to bear witness of that light, that all men [q]through him might believe.
8 He was not [r]that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
9 [s]This was [t]that true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 [u]He was in the world, and the world was (C)made by him: and the world knew him not.
11 He came [v]unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 [w]But as many as received him, to them he gave [x]prerogative to be the sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name,
13 Which are born not of blood, nor of the [y]will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 (D)[z]And that Word was made [aa]flesh, and [ab]dwelt among us, (and we (E)saw the [ac]glory thereof, [ad]as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father) [ae]full of grace and truth.
15 ¶ [af]John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh [ag]after me, was [ah]before me: for he was better than I.
16 (F)[ai]And of his fullness have all we received, and [aj]grace for grace.
17 For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 (G)[ak]No man hath seen God at any time: that only begotten Son, which is in the [al]bosom of the Father, he hath [am]declared him.
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