Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

²³ Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

8 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.

² Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.

³ And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

⁴ Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to Ramatha.

⁵ And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have.

⁶ And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king, to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

⁷ And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them.

⁸ According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee.

⁹ Now therefore hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.

¹⁰ Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,

¹¹ And said: This will be the right of the king, that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen to run before his chariots,

¹² And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots.

¹³ Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.

¹⁴ And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants.

¹⁵ Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.

¹⁶ Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses he will take away, and put them to his work.

¹⁷ Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.

¹⁸ And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves. and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.

6 Wherefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect, not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works, and of faith towards God,

² Of the doctrine of baptisms, and imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

³ And this will we do, if God permit.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

⁵ Have moreover tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

⁶ And are fallen away: to be renewed again to penance, crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making him a mockery.

⁷ For the earth that drinketh in the rain which cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing from God.

⁸ But that which bringeth forth thorns and briers, is reprobate, and very near unto a curse, whose end is to be burnt.

⁹ But, my dearly beloved, we trust better things of you, and nearer to salvation; though we speak thus.

¹⁰ For God is not unjust, that he should forget your work, and the love which you have shewn in his name, you who have ministered, and do minister to the saints.

¹¹ And we desire that every one of you shew forth the same carefulness to the accomplishing of hope unto the end:

¹² That you become not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises.