Book of Common Prayer
Foreign Nations Come to Worship in Jerusalem
Of the sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.[a]
87 His foundation is on the holy mountains.
2 Yahweh loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken about[b] you,
O city of God. Selah
4 I will record[c] those who know me
in Rahab[d] and Babylon,
behold in Philistia and Tyre with Cush,
“This one was born there.”
5 But with respect to Zion it shall be said,
“Each one[e] was born in her,”
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 Yahweh will record in writing the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 And while dancing, singers will sing,
“All my springs are in you.”
God’s Eternity and Human Frailty
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.[a]
90 O Lord, you have been our help[b] in all generations.[c]
2 Before the mountains were born
and you brought forth the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
3 You return man to the dust,
saying,[d] “Return, O sons of man.”
4 For a thousand years in your eyes
are like yesterday when it passes,
or like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away like a flood.
They fall asleep.[e]
In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it blossoms and sprouts anew;
by evening it withers and dries up.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger,
and we hasten off[f] by your wrath.
8 You have put our iniquities before you,
our hidden sins into the light of your countenance.
9 For all of our days dwindle away in your rage;
we complete our years like a sigh.
10 As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years
or if by strength eighty years, and their pride[g] is trouble and disaster,
for it passes quickly and we fly away.
11 Who knows the strength of your anger,
and your rage consistent with[h] the fear due you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Return,[i] O Yahweh. How long?
And have compassion on[j] your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen calamity.
16 Let your work be visible to your servants,
and your majesty to their children.
17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish for us the work of our hands,
yes, the work of our hands, establish it.
Praise to God for His Creation and Deliverance
136 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures forever.
4 To him who alone does great wonders,
for his loyal love endures forever.
5 To him who made the heavens with skill,[a]
for his loyal love endures forever.
6 To him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his loyal love endures forever.
7 To him who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures forever.
8 The sun to rule the day,
for his loyal love endures forever.
9 The moon and stars to rule the night,
for his loyal love endures forever.
10 To him who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
for his loyal love endures forever.
11 And he brought Israel out from among them,
for his loyal love endures forever.
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures forever.
13 To him who divided the Red Sea[b] in two,
for his loyal love endures forever.
14 And he let Israel cross over through the midst of it,
for his loyal love endures forever.
15 But he tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,[c]
for his loyal love endures forever.
16 To him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures forever.
17 To him who struck great kings,
for his loyal love endures forever.
18 And he killed mighty kings,
for his loyal love endures forever.
19 Sihon the king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures forever.
20 And Og the king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures forever.
21 And he gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures forever.
22 An inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate,
for his loyal love endures forever.
24 And he rescued us from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures forever.
25 The one who gives food to all flesh,
for his loyal love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures forever.
The Downfall of Shechem and Abimelech
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 so that the violence done to the seventy brothers of Abimelech would be avenged and their blood be placed on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who helped[a] to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 Abimelech came up to the tower and fought against it, and he came near the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman[a] threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and cracked open his skull. 54 He called quickly to the young man carrying his weapons, and he said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they will not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man[b] stabbed him, and he died. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each one went to his home.[c] 56 So God repaid[d] the wickedness[e] that Abimelech committed against his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also repaid all the wickedness[f] of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them.
The Believers Share All Things in Common
32 Now the group of those who believed were one heart and soul, and no one said anything of what belonged to him was his own, but all things were theirs in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 34 For there was not even anyone needy among them, because all those who were owners of plots of land or houses were selling them[a] and[b] bringing the proceeds of the things that were sold 35 and placing them[c] at the feet of the apostles. And it was being distributed to each as anyone had need. 36 So Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite of Cyprus by nationality, 37 sold a field[d] that belonged to him and[e] brought the money and placed it[f] at the feet of the apostles.
Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit
5 Now a certain man named[g] Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and he kept back for himself some of the proceeds, and his[h] wife was aware of it.[i] And he brought a certain part and[j] placed it[k] at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, for what reason has Satan filled your heart, that you lied to the Holy Spirit and kept back for yourself some of the proceeds of the piece of land? 4 When it[l] remained to you, did it not remain yours? And when it[m] was sold, was it at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people, but to God!”
5 And when[n] Ananias heard these words, he fell down and[o] died. And great fear came on all those who heard about it.[p] 6 So the young men stood up, wrapped him up, and carried him[q] out and[r] buried him.[s] 7 And it happened that there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you both[t] were paid this much for the piece of land.” And she said, “Yes, this much.” 9 So Peter said to her, “How is it that it was agreed by you two[u] to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 And immediately she fell down at his feet and died. So when[v] the young men came in, they found her dead, and carried her[w] out and[x] buried her[y] with her husband. 11 And great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard about these things.
13 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
The Cleansing of the Temple
14 And he found in the temple courts[a] those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated. 15 And he made a whip of cords and[b] drove them[c] all out of the temple courts,[d] both the sheep and the oxen, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their[e] tables. 16 And to the ones selling the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”[f] 17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[g]
18 So the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign do you show to us, because you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” 20 Then the Jews said, “This temple has been under construction[h] forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus at the Passover
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name because they[i] saw his signs which he was doing. 24 But Jesus himself did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people,[j] 25 and because he did not need[k] anyone to testify[l] about man, for he himself knew what was in man.[m]
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