Book of Common Prayer

Praise or thanks are given to God for judging the whore, and for avenging the blood of his servants. The angel will not be worshipped. The fowls and birds are called to the slaughter.

19 And after that I heard the voice of a great many people in heaven saying, Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honour and power be ascribed to the Lord our God! ² For true and righteous are his judgments, for he has judged the great whore who did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of his servants shed by her hand. ³ And again they said, Alleluia! And smoke rose up forevermore. ⁴ And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sat on the seat, saying, Amen! Alleluia! ⁵ And a voice came out of the seat, saying, Praise our Lord God, all you who are his servants, and you who fear him, both small and great!

⁶ And I heard the voice of a great many people, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of strong thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for God Omnipotent reigns! ⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. ⁸ And to her it was granted that she should be arrayed with pure and splendid linens. For fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.

⁹ And he said to me, Happy are those who are called to the Lamb’s supper! And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. ¹⁰ And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See you do it not. For I am your fellow servant and one of your brethren, and of those who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

²⁵ A great number of people went with Jesus, and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ If a person comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife, and children, and brethren and sisters, and moreover his own life, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ Which of you, thinking of building a tower, would not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to complete it?– ²⁹ lest after he has laid the foundation and is not able to complete it, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish it. ³¹ Or, what king goes to make battle against another king, and does not sit down first and cast in his mind whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000? ³² If not, while the other is yet a great way off, he will send ambassadors and seek peace. ³³ So now then, none of you who will not renounce all that he has can be my disciple.

³⁴ Salt is good. But if salt has lost her saltness, what can be seasoned with it? ³⁵ It is neither good for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men cast it out at the doors. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.