Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

35 Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.

² The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.

³ For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.

⁴ The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well.

⁵ He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he hath not hated.

⁶ O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth, even to the clouds.

⁷ Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep. Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord:

⁸ O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.

⁹ They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.

¹⁰ For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.

22 And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.

² And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,

³ And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,

⁴ He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

⁵ He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beer, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

⁶ Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed.

⁷ And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac:

⁸ He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him:

⁹ What mean these men that are with thee?

¹⁰ He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,

¹¹ Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away.

¹² And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.

¹³ And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.

¹⁴ The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.

¹⁵ Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:

¹⁶ Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:

¹⁷ For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.

¹⁸ Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

¹⁹ I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.

²⁰ God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.

²¹ Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

¹⁷ And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

¹⁸ And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James; and all the ancients were assembled.

¹⁹ Whom when he had saluted, he related particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

²⁰ But they hearing it, glorified God, and said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews that have believed: and they are all zealous for the law.

²¹ Now they have heard of thee that thou teachest those Jews, who are among the Gentiles, to depart from Moses: saying, that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor walk according to the custom.

²² What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

²³ Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men, who have a vow on them.

²⁴ Take these, and sanctify thyself with them: and bestow on them, that they may shave their heads: and all will know that the things which they have heard of thee, are false; but that thou thyself also walkest keeping the law.

²⁵ But as touching the Gentiles that believe, we have written, decreeing that they should only refrain themselves from that which has been offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangles, and from fornication.

²⁶ Then Paul took the men, and the next day being purified with them, entered into the temple, giving notice of the accomplishment of the days of purification, until an oblation should be offered for every one of them.