Book of Common Prayer
49 [a]Remember the word you gave to your servant
by which you have given me hope.
50 This is my consolation in my distress:
your word gives me life.
51 The arrogant[b] overwhelm me with scorn,
but I refuse to turn away from your law.
52 I recall your judgments of old, O Lord,
and I am greatly comforted.
53 I am filled with fury against the wicked,
those who forsake your law.
54 Your decrees have become my songs
wherever I make my dwelling.
55 Even during the night I remember your name[c]
and observe your teaching, O Lord.
56 This is my practice:
I obey your commandments.
Heth
57 [d]My portion, I have said, O Lord,
is to observe your words.[e]
58 With all my heart[f] I seek your favor;
fulfill your word and be gracious to me.
59 I have reflected on my ways
and resolved to follow your statutes.
60 I will make haste and not delay
to observe your precepts.
61 Though the nets of the wicked entrap me,
I do not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to offer praise to you
for the righteousness of your judgments.
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,
all who observe your commands.
64 The earth overflows with your kindness,[g] O Lord;
teach me your decrees.
Teth
65 [h]You have dealt kindly with your servant
in accord with your word, O Lord.
66 Grant me good judgment and knowledge,
for I place my trust in your precepts.
67 Before I was afflicted[i] I went astray,
but now I observe your word.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
69 The arrogant[j] spread lies about me,
but with all my heart I observe your commands.
70 Their hearts are gross and insensitive,[k]
but I find my delight in your law.
71 It was a blessing for me to be afflicted,
so that I might learn your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Yodh
Psalm 49[a]
Deceptive Riches
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of the sons of Korah.
2 [c]Hear this, all you peoples;
listen carefully, all you inhabitants of the world,
3 whether lowborn or highborn,
rich and poor alike.
4 My mouth will speak words of wisdom,
and the utterance of my heart[d] will give understanding.
5 I will listen carefully to a proverb,
and with the harp[e] I will interpret my riddle.
6 Why should I be afraid in evil times
when I am beset by the wickedness of my foes,[f]
7 those who place their trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
8 [g]For no one can ever redeem himself
or pay a ransom to God for his release.
9 The price to ransom a life would be too costly;
no one would ever have enough
10 to enable him to live on forever
and avoid being consigned to the pit.
11 [h]For all can see that the wise die,
just as the foolish and the stupid also pass away,
and all leave their wealth to others.[i]
12 Their graves are their eternal homes,
their dwelling places for all generations,
even though they had named lands after themselves.
13 Despite his riches,
a man cannot escape death;
he is like the beasts that perish.[j]
14 Such is the destiny of those who trust in themselves alone,
the fate of those who are pleased with their lot.[k] Selah
15 Like sheep[l] they are destined for the netherworld,
with death as their shepherd.
They descend straight to the grave
where their bodies will waste away;
the netherworld will be their home.
16 But God will ransom me from the netherworld;
he will take me[m] to himself. Selah
17 [n]Do not be afraid when someone becomes rich
and the splendor of his house increases.
18 When he dies, he will take nothing with him;
his wealth will not accompany him below.[o]
19 Although during his lifetime he considered himself blessed:
“They will praise me because I have done well,”
20 he will end up joining the company of his ancestors
who will never again see the light.[p]
21 Despite his riches,
a man who does not have wisdom
is like the beasts that perish.[q]
Psalm 53[a]
Foolishness of the Wicked
1 For the director.[b] According to Mahalath. A maskil of David.
2 [c]The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Such are depraved and their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does what is right.
3 God looks down from heaven
upon the entire human race,
to see if there are any who act with wisdom,
if even a single one seeks God.
4 But they have all turned aside;
all alike are corrupt.
There is no one who does what is right,
not even one.
5 Have all these evildoers no understanding?
They devour my people as they eat bread,
and they never call out to God.
6 Later, they will be filled with terror,
and with good reason,[d]
although now they do not fear.
For God will scatter the bones
of those who attack you;
they will be put to shame,
for God has rejected them.
7 Who will bring about the salvation of Israel
that is to come out of Zion?[e]
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice and Israel will exult.
25 They then sat down to eat. When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites from Gilead with camels laden with gums, balm, and myrrh. It was carrying these things to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What would we gain if we killed our brother and concealed his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites. This way, we will not have laid hands on him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” His brothers agreed with him.
28 Now some Ishmaelite traders passed by, and his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Thus Joseph was brought into Egypt.
29 When Reuben returned to the cistern, he found that Joseph was no longer there. He ripped his garments, 30 and he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! Where can I turn?”
31 They took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the tunic in its blood. 32 They then sent their father the long tunic and dispatched this message, “We have found this; do you know if this is your son’s tunic?”
33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces.”
34 Then Jacob ripped his clothes, put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned his son for many days. 35 All his sons and his daughters came to console him, but he did not want to be consoled. He said, “No! I wish to go down into the netherworld mourning my son!” Thus did his father weep for him.
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, a counselor of Pharaoh and a commander of the guard.
Chapter 2
Jesus Christ—and Him Crucified. 1 When I came to you, brethren, I did not proclaim to you the mystery of God[a] with words of eloquence or wisdom. 2 For I resolved that, while I was with you, I would know nothing except Jesus Christ—and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in great trepidation. 4 My message and my proclamation were not made with persuasive words of wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,[b] 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
The Mysterious Wisdom of God
The Plan of God, True Wisdom. 6 However, to those who are mature, we do speak of wisdom, although not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age[c] whose end is not far distant. 7 Rather, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age comprehended it. If they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.[d] 9 For as it is written,
“Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,
nor has the human heart imagined
what God has prepared for those who love him.”
10 The Spirit Enables Faith To Mature. However, God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit explores everything, even the depths of God. 11 And just as no human being comprehends any person’s innermost being except the person’s own spirit within him, so also no one comprehends what pertains to God except the Spirit of God.
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed upon us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words taught to us not by human wisdom but by the Spirit, expressing spiritual things in spiritual words.[e]
29 Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law. Immediately on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John into the house of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law[a] was lying in bed, sick with a fever, and they informed Jesus at once about her. 31 Jesus approached her, grasped her by the hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 Other Healings. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all those who were sick or possessed by demons.[b] 33 The whole town was present, crowded around the door. 34 He cured many who were afflicted with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, although he would not permit them to speak because they knew who he was.
35 Jesus Proclaims the Message and Heals the Sick. Early the next morning, long before dawn, he arose and went off to a secluded place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions set forth in search of him, 37 and when they found him they said, “Everybody is looking for you.” 38 He replied, “Let us move on to the neighboring towns so that I may proclaim the message there as well. For this is the reason why I came.” 39 Then he traveled all throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
40 Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy. A man with leprosy[c] approached and, kneeling before him, begged him, “If you choose to do so, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, “he stretched out his hand and touched him,[d] saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” 42 Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cured.
43 Jesus then sent him away at once, after first sternly warning him, 44 “See that you tell no one anything about this. Just go and show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed. That will be proof for them.”[e] 45 However, he went forth and began to proclaim the entire story, spreading the word far and wide. As a result, Jesus could no longer go openly into any town. Rather, he stayed outside in deserted places, and people continued to come to him from every quarter.
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