Book of Common Prayer
140 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man. Preserve me from the cruel man.
2 Who imagine evil things in their heart and make war continually.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the cruel man, who intends to cause my steps to slide.
5 The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net with cords in my pathway, and set traps for me. Selah.
6 I said to the LORD, “You are my God. Hear, O LORD, the voice of my prayers.
7 “O LORD God, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head on the day of battle.
8 “Do not let the wicked have his desire, O LORD. Do not perform his wicked thought, lest they be proud. Selah.
9 “The chief of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips come upon them.
10 “Let coals fall upon them. Let him cast them into the fire, into the deep pits, so that they do not rise.
11 “The backbiter shall not be established upon the Earth. Evil shall hunt the cruel man to destruction.”
12 I know that the LORD will avenge the afflicted and judge the poor.
13 Surely, the righteous shall praise Your Name; and the just shall dwell in Your presence. A Psalm of David
142 I cried to the LORD with my voice! With my voice I prayed to the LORD.
2 I poured out my meditation before Him, declared my affection in His presence.
3 Though my spirit was overwhelmed in me, You still knew my path. They have secretly laid a snare for me in the way wherein I walk.
4 I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no one who knew me. All refuge failed me. No one cared for my soul.
5 I cried to You, O LORD, and said, “You are my Hope, my portion in the land of the living.
6 “Listen to my cry, for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 “Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may praise Your Name. The righteous shall surround me when You are beneficial to me.” A Psalm of David
141 O LORD, I call upon You! Hurry to me! Hear my voice when I cry to You!
2 Let my prayer be directed in Your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Do not incline my heart to evil, so that I would commit wicked works with those who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; for that is a benefit. And let him reprove me; it shall be as a precious oil that shall not break my head. For after a while, I shall even pray in their miseries.
6 When their judges are cast down in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 Our bones lie scattered at the grave’s mouth, as he who hews or digs in the earth.
8 But my eyes look to You, O LORD God. In You is my trust. Do not leave my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape. A Psalm of David, to give instruction; and a prayer when he was in the cave
143 Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my supplication. Answer me in Your truth and in Your righteousness.
2 (And do not enter into judgment with Your servant; for in Your sight shall no one who lives be justified.)
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul. He has stricken my life down to the Earth. He has laid me in the darkness, as those who have long been dead.
4 And my spirit was desolate in me; my heart within me was amazed.
5 I remember the time past. I meditate on all Your works. I meditate on the works of Your hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands to You. My soul desires You, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O LORD! My spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me; or else I shall be like those who go down into the pit.
8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for in You is my trust. Show me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul to You.
9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies. I have hidden myself with You.
10 Teach me to do Your will; for You are my God. Let Your good Spirit lead me to the Land of Righteousness.
11 Quicken me, O LORD, for Your Name’s sake. Bring my soul out of trouble because of Your righteousness,
12 and slay my enemies because of Your mercy and destroy all those who oppress my soul; for I am Your servant. A Psalm of David
9 Please hear this, you heads of the House of Jacob, and princes of the House of Israel. They abhor judgment and pervert all that is right.
10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11 Their heads judge for rewards, and their priests teach for hire, and their prophets prophesy for money. Yet they will lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No evil can come upon us.”
12 Therefore, for your sake, shall Zion be plowed as a field. And Jerusalem shall be a heap and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
4 But in the last days it shall happen that the Mountain of the House of the LORD shall be prepared on the top of the mountains. And it shall be exalted above the hills. And people shall flow to it.
2 Yea, many nations shall come and say, “Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD, and to the House of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us His ways. And we will walk in His paths.” For the Law shall go forth from Zion. And the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3 And He shall judge among many people and rebuke mighty, far away nations. And they shall break their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation. Nor shall they learn to fight anymore.
4 But every man shall sit under his vine, and under his fig tree. And no one shall make them afraid. For the Mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken it.
5 For all people will walk, each in the name of his god. And we will walk in the Name of the LORD our God, forever and ever.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla (who was Jewish), he sent for Paul and heard from him about faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned of righteousness and temperance, and of the judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, “Go your way for now. And when it is convenient, I will call for you.”
26 He also hoped that money would have been given to him by Paul, so that he might release him. Therefore, he sent for him more often and communed with him.
27 After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. And wanting to curry favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul bound.
25 Three days after Festus had come into the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the High Priest and the chief of the Jews appeared before him against Paul. And they pleaded with him,
3 and asked (as a favor) if he would summon him to Jerusalem, so they could make an ambush and kill him along the way.
4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea. And that he himself would go there shortly.
5 “Therefore, let those among you who are able come down,” he said, “And if there is any fault in the man, let them accuse him."
6 Now, after he had stayed among them no more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day sat in the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he had come, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem, stood around him and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul (of which they could present no plain proof),
8 to which he answered that he had not offended in anything - either against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.
9 Yet Festus, wanting to curry favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Will you go up to Jerusalem and be judged of these things before me there?”
10 Then Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.
11 “For if I have done wrong, or committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing in these things of which they accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Then, when Festus had spoken with the Council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.”
8 And afterward, it happened that He went through every city and town, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him,
2 as well as certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities (such as Mary, called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils;
3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; and Susanna; and many others who ministered to Him from their possessions).
4 Now when many people had gathered together and come to Him out of all the cities, He spoke a parable.
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of heaven devoured it.
6 “And some fell on the stones. And after it sprang up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 “And some fell among thorns. And the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8 “And some fell on good ground. And it sprang up and bore fruit, a hundredfold.” And as He said these things, He cried, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9 Then His disciples asked Him what parable that was.
10 And He said, “To you it is given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But to others they come in parables. So that when they see, they will not see. And when they hear, they will not understand.
11 “The parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.
12 “And that which are along the way are those who hear, but afterward the devil comes and takes away the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 “But the ones on the stones are those who, when they have heard the Word, receive it with joy. But they have no roots. So, for a while they believe, but in the time of temptation they go away.
14 “And that which fell among thorns are those who have heard, but after their departure are choked with cares and riches and the pursuit of pleasure. And they bring forth no fruit.
15 “But that which fell in good ground are those who hear the Word with an honest and good heart, and keep it, and bring forth fruit through patience.
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