Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁶ Then there came two women that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him:

¹⁷ And one of them said: I beseech thee, my lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber.

¹⁸ And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two.

¹⁹ And this woman's child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him.

²⁰ And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.

²¹ And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.

²² And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive. On the contrary she said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king.

²³ Then said the king: The one saith, My child is alive, and thy child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay, but thy child is dead, and mine liveth.

²⁴ The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king,

²⁵ Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

²⁶ But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king, (for her bowels were moved upon her child,) I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

²⁷ The king answered, and said: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof.

²⁸ And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

¹³ Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew, by a good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.

¹⁴ But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contentions in your hearts; glory not, and be not liars against the truth.

¹⁵ For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁶ For where envying and contention is, there is inconstancy, and every evil work.

¹⁷ But the wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation.

¹⁸ And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.