Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
140 1 David complaineth of the cruelty, falsehood and injuries of his enemies. 8 Against the which he prayeth unto the Lord, and assureth himself of his help and succor. 12 Wherefore he provoketh the just to praise the Lord, and to assure themselves of his tuition.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the [a]cruel man:
2 Which imagine evil things in their [b]heart, and make war continually.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: [c]adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep [d]me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the cruel man, which purposeth to cause my steps to slide.
5 The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net with cords in my pathway, and set gins for me. Selah.
6 Therefore I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my prayers.
7 O Lord God the strength of my salvation, thou [e]hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Let not the wicked have his desire, O Lord; [f]perform not his wicked thought, lest they be proud. Selah.
9 As for [g]the chief of them that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips come upon them.
10 Let coals fall upon them: let [h]him cast them into the fire, and into the deep pits that they rise not.
11 For the backbiter shall not be established upon the earth, evil shall [i]hunt the cruel man to destruction.
12 I know that the Lord will avenge the afflicted, and judge the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall praise thy Name, and the just shall [j]dwell in thy presence.
5 1 Esther entereth to the King, and biddeth him and Haman to a feast. 14 Haman prepareth a gallows for Mordecai.
1 And on the third [a]day Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the court of the King’s palace within, over against the King’s house: and the King sat upon his royal throne in the king’s palace over against the gate of the house.
2 And when the King saw Esther the Queen standing in the court, she found favor in his sight: and the King [b]held out the golden scepter that was in his hand: so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
3 Then said the King unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even [c]given thee to the half of the kingdom.
4 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let the King and Haman come this day unto the banquet, that I have prepared for him.
5 And the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of [d]wine, What is thy petition, that it may be given thee? and what is thy request? it shall even be performed unto the half of the kingdom.
7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition, and my request is,
8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to give me my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow according to the king’s [e]saying.
9 ¶ Then went Haman forth the same day joyful, and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, then was Haman full of indignation at Mordecai.
10 Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent, and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had [f]promoted him, and how that he had set him above the princes and servants of the king.
12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared, save me: and tomorrow am I bidden unto her also with the king.
13 But all this doth nothing avail me, as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.
14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let them make a tree of fifty [g]cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then shalt thou go joyfully with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused to make the tree.
18 [a][b]Little children, [c]it is the last time, [d]and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 [e]They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, [f]they should have continued with us. [g]But this cometh to pass, that it might appear, that they are not all of us.
20 [h]But ye have an [i]ointment from that [j]Holy one, and know all things.
21 [k]I have not written unto you, because ye know not the truth: but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 [l]Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is [m]that Christ? the same is that Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 [n]Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.
24 [o]Let therefore abide in you that same which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, ye shall also continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even that eternal life.
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