Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ As soon as it was day, there was no little ado among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ When Herod had called for him, but not found him, he examined the guards, and commanded them to depart. And he descended from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

²⁰ Now Herod had been displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon. And they came all at once and made intercession to Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, and requested peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s land. ²¹ And upon a day appointed, Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat in his seat and made a speech to them. ²² And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!

²³ And immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the honour. And he was eaten by worms and gave up the spirit.

²⁴ And the word of God grew and multiplied. ²⁵ As for Barnabas and Paul, they went again to Jerusalem and delivered the relief, and took with them John, who was also called Mark.

¹³ And he went again to the sea side. And all the people gathered to him, and he taught them. ¹⁴ And as Jesus was passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom and said to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at food in Levi’s house, that many publicans and sinners sat at food also with Jesus and his disciples. For there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said to his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? ¹⁷ When Jesus heard that, he said to them, The whole have no need of the physician, but the sick do. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

¹⁸ And the disciples of John and the Pharisees used to fast, and so they came and said to him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? ¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, Can the children of a wedding fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast, in those days. ²¹ Also, no one sows a piece of new cloth onto an old garment, because then the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is worse. ²² Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins, for if he does, the new wine bursts the skins, and the wine runs out and the vessels are marred. But new wine must be poured into new vessels.