Book of Common Prayer

He sees the servants of God sealed in their foreheads out of all nations and peoples, who, though they suffer trouble, yet the Lamb feeds them, and leads them to the fountains of living waters. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

7 And after that, I saw four angels stand on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth so that the winds would not blow on the land, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.  ² And I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, who had the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels (to whom power was given to hurt the land and the sea), ³ saying, Do not hurt the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

⁴ And I heard the number of those who were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. ⁵ Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. ⁶ Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. ⁷ Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. ⁸ Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

⁵¹ And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before him. ⁵² And they went and entered into a city of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. ⁵³ But the Samaritans would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw that, they said, Lord, would you have us call fire down from heaven to consume them, even as Elijah did?

⁵⁵ Jesus turned about and rebuked them, saying, You know not what manner of spirit you are of. The Son of man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.

⁵⁶ And they set off for another town. ⁵⁷ And as he walked in the road, a certain man said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. ⁵⁸ Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.

⁵⁹ And he said to another, Follow me. And the man said, Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father. ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead; but as for you, go and preach the kingdom of God.

⁶¹ And another said, I will follow you, Lord, but let me first go and bid farewell to the people who are at home at my house. ⁶² Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.