Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 87

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

BOOK FOUR

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

Psalm 136

Jacob’s Request of Joseph

²⁷ Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they had possessions there and grew and became very numerous.

²⁸ And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, so the years of Jacob’s life were one hundred and forty-seven years. ²⁹ When the time drew near when Israel would die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found grace in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

And he said, “I will do as you have said.”

³¹ And he said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself at the head of his bed.

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

48 After these things, Joseph was told, “Your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. ² When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph is coming to you,” Israel strengthened himself and sat up in the bed.

³ Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me. ⁴ And He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make you into a multitude of people and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.’

⁵ “Now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. ⁶ Any children you have after them will be yours and will be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. ⁷ As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to get to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

Warning Against Idolatry

10 I would not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, ² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ all ate the same spiritual food; ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with many of them God was not well pleased, and they were overthrown in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted. ⁷ Neither be idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.”^{[a] 8} Neither let us commit sexual immorality as some of them committed, when twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. ¹⁰ Neither murmur, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer.

¹¹ Now all these things happened to them for examples. They are written as an admonition to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The Tradition of the Elders^(A)

7 The Pharisees and certain scribes who came from Jerusalem gathered around Him. ² When they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, ritually unwashed hands, they found fault. ³ For the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands ritually, do not eat, keeping the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the market, unless they wash, they do not eat. And there are many other traditions which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze vessels and dining couches.

⁵ So the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

⁶ He answered, “Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written:

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

⁹ And He said to them, “You full well reject the commandment of God so that you may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’^[b] and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’^{[c] 11} But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “It is Corban,” that is to say, “What you would have profited from me is a gift to God,” he shall be free.’ ¹² Then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which you have delivered. And you do many similar things.”

¹⁴ When He had called all the people to Him, He said, “Listen to Me, every one of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing from outside a man that by entering him can defile him. But the things which come out of the man are what defile him. ¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

¹⁷ When He had left the people and entered the house, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Are you so without understanding also? Do you not know that anything from the outside that enters a man cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not enter his heart, but into his stomach, and goes out into the sewer, thus purifying all foods?”

²⁰ And He said, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, ²² theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”