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. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives to the death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil has come down to you, who has great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

⁵³ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these similitudes, that he departed from there, ⁵⁴ and went into his own country. And he taught the people in their synagogues, insomuch that they were astonished and said, Whence comes all this wisdom and power to him? ⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is his mother not called Mary? and his brethren James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ Are his sisters not all here with us? Where does he have all these things from? ⁵⁷ And they were offended by him.

Then Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country and among his own kin.

⁵⁸ And he did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.