Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁶ Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸ For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹ A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰ Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹ Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

13 And it came to pass after this, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.

² And he was exceedingly fond of her, so that he fell sick for the love of her: for as she was a virgin, he thought it hard to do any thing dishonestly with her.

³ Now Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:

⁴ And he said to him: Why dost thou grow so lean from day to day, O son of the king? why dost thou not tell me the reason of it? And Amnon said to him: I am in love with Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.

⁵ And Jonadab said to him: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, come to me, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

⁶ So Amnon lay down, and made as if he were sick: and when the king came to visit him, Amnon said to the king: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and make in my sight two little messes, that I may eat at her hand.

⁷ Then David sent home to Thamar, saying: Come to the house of thy brother Amnon, and make him a mess.

⁸ And Thamar came to the house of Amnon her brother: but he was laid down: and she took meal and tempered it: and dissolving it in his sight she made little messes.

⁹ And taking what she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, but he would not eat: and Amnon said: Put out all persons from me. And when they had put all persons out,

¹⁰ Amnon said to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber, that I may eat at thy hand. And Thamar took the little messes which she had made, and brought them in to her brother Amnon in the chamber.

¹¹ And when she had presented him the meat, he took hold of her, and said: Come lie with me, my sister.

¹² She answered him: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly.

¹³ For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

¹⁴ But he would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before, And Amnon said to her: Arise, and get thee gone.

¹⁶ She answered him: This evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hearken to her:

¹⁷ But calling the servants that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me: and shut the door after her.

¹⁸ And she was clothed with along robe: for the king's daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. Then his servant thrust her out: and shut the door after her.

¹⁹ And she put ashes on her head, and rent her long robe and laid her hands upon her head, and went on crying.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members of member.

²⁸ And God indeed hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly doctors; after that miracles; then the graces of healing, helps, governments, kinds of tongues, interpretations of speeches.

²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all doctors?

³⁰ Are all workers of miracles? Have all the grace of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

³¹ But be zealous for the better gifts. And I shew unto you yet a more excellent way.