Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁴⁶ And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.

⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

⁴⁸ Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

⁴⁹ Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.

⁵⁰ And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

⁵¹ He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

⁵² He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

⁵³ He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

⁵⁴ He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:

⁵⁵ As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

1 There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite:

² And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children.

³ And this man went up out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.

⁴ Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:

⁵ But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.

⁶ Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb:

⁷ And thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord: and thus she provoked her: but Anna wept, and did not eat.

⁸ Then Elcana her husband said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

⁹ So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord:

¹⁰ As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,

¹¹ And she made a vow, saying: O Lord, of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

¹² And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.

¹³ Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,

¹⁴ And said to her: How long wilt thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.

¹⁵ Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

¹⁶ Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.

¹⁷ Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

¹⁸ And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.

9 The former indeed had also justifications of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

² For there was a tabernacle made the first, wherein were the candlesticks, and the table, and the setting forth of loaves, which is called the holy.

³ And after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holy of holies:

⁴ Having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament covered about on every part with gold, in which was a golden pot that had manna, and the rod of Aaron, that had blossomed, and the tables of the testament.

⁵ And over it were the cherubims of glory overshadowing the propitiatory: of which it is not needful to speak now particularly.

⁶ Now these things being thus ordered, into the first tabernacle the priests indeed always entered, accomplishing the offices of sacrifices.

⁷ But into the second, the high priest alone, once a year: not without blood, which he offereth for his own, and the people's ignorance:

⁸ The Holy Ghost signifying this, that the way into the holies was not yet made manifest, whilst the former tabernacle was yet standing.

⁹ Which is a parable of the time present: according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered, which can not, as to the conscience, make him perfect that serveth, only in meats and in drinks,

¹⁰ And divers washings, and justices of the flesh laid on them until the time of correction.

¹¹ But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation:

¹² Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption.

¹³ For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh:

¹⁴ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?