Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
102 1 It seemeth that this prayer was appointeth to the faithful to pray in the captivity of Babylon. 16 A consolation for the building of the Church: 18 whereof followeth the praise of God to be published unto all posterity. 22 The conversion of the Gentiles, 28 and the stability of the Church.
A prayer [a]of the afflicted, when he shall be in distress, and pour forth his meditation before the Lord.
1 O Lord hear my prayer, and let my [b]cry come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble: incline thine ears unto me, when I call, make haste to hear me.
3 For my days are [c]consumed like smoke, and my bones are burnt like an hearth.
4 Mine heart is smitten, and withered like grass, because I forgat [d]to eat my bread.
5 For the voice of my groaning, my bones do cleave to my skin.
6 I am like a [e]pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the deserts.
7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8 Mine enemies revile me daily, and they that rage against me, have [f]sworn against me.
9 Surely I have [g]eaten ashes as bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10 Because of thine [h]indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast heaved me up, and cast me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that fadeth, and I am withered like grass.
12 But thou, O Lord, dost [i]remain forever, and thy remembrance from generation to generation.
13 Thou wilt arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to have mercy thereon, for the [j]appointed time is come.
14 For thy servants delight in the [k]stones thereof, and have pity on the dust thereof.
15 Then the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory,
16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, and shall appear [l]in his glory,
17 And shall turn unto the prayer of the desolate, and not despise their prayer.
8 ¶ For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Let not your prophets, and your soothsayers that be among you, deceive you, neither give ear to your dreams, which you dream.
9 For they prophesy you a lie in my Name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
10 But thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babel, I will visit you, and perform my good promise toward you, and cause you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts, that I have thought towards you, saith the Lord, even the thoughts of peace, and not of trouble, to give you an end, and your hope.
12 Then shall you cry unto me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hear you,
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, because ye shall seek me with all [a]your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places, whither I have cast you, saith the Lord, and will bring you again unto the place, whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
15 Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up [b]Prophets in Babel.
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord of the King, that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity:
17 Even thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will send upon them the [c]sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile [d]figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so naughty.
18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence: and I will make them a terror to all kingdoms of the earth, and [e]a curse, and astonishment, and an hissing and a reproach among all the nations whither I have cast them,
19 Because they have not heard my words saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the Prophets, [f]rising up early, and sending them, but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
20 ¶ Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babel.
21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy lies unto you in my Name, Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and he shall slay them before your eyes.
22 And all they of the captivity of Judah, that are in Babel, shall take up this curse against them, and say, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the King of Babel burnt [g]in the fire,
23 Because they have committed [h]villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbor’s wives, and have spoken lying words in my Name, which I have not commanded them, even I know it, and testify it, saith the Lord.
24 [a]And as he thus answered for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad.
25 But he said, I am not mad, O noble Festus, but I speak the words of truth, and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak boldly: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him: for this thing was [not] done in a [b]corner.
27 [c]O King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
29 Then Paul said, [d]I would to God that [not] only thou, but also all that hear me today, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
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