Book of Common Prayer

Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection

To the Chief Musician. On ^[a]a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God

To the Chief Musician. To ^(D)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

The Blessed State of the Righteous

The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God

Joy in God’s Faithfulness

Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and ^(A)the acknowledgment of the truth ^(B)which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life which God, who ^(C)cannot lie, promised before time began, ³ but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴ To ^(D)Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^[a]the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Qualified Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should ^(E)set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— ⁶ if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, ^(F)having faithful children not accused of ^[b]dissipation or insubordination. ⁷ For a ^[c]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, ^(G)not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Elders’ Task

¹⁰ For there are many insubordinate, both idle ^(H)talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, ^(I)for the sake of dishonest gain. ^12 (J)One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. ^(K)Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables and ^(L)commandments of men who turn from the truth. ^15 (M)To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to ^(N)know God, but ^(O)in works they deny Him, being ^[d]abominable, disobedient, ^(P)and disqualified for every good work.

Dedication to Theophilus

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those ^(A)things which ^[a]have been fulfilled among us, ² just as those who ^(B)from the beginning were ^(C)eyewitnesses and ministers of the word ^(D)delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having ^[b]had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, ^(E)most excellent Theophilus, ^4 (F)that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias

⁵ There was ^(G)in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ^(H)of the division of ^(I)Abijah. His ^(J)wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

⁸ So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, ^[c]his lot fell ^(K)to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ^10 (L)And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of ^(M)the altar of incense. ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, ^(N)he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(O)you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and ^(P)many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be ^(Q)great in the sight of the Lord, and ^(R)shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(S)even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ^17 (T)He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ And Zacharias said to the angel, ^(U)“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

¹⁹ And the angel answered and said to him, “I am ^(V)Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you ^[d]these glad ^(W)tidings. ²⁰ But behold, ^(X)you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

²³ So it was, as soon as ^(Y)the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. ²⁴ Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to ^(Z)take away my reproach among people.”