Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
1 ¶ Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth.
2 Why should the Gentiles say, Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens; he has made whatever he has desired.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they shall never speak; they have eyes, but they shall never see:
6 They have ears, but they shall never hear; they have noses, but they shall never smell;
7 they have hands, but they shall never touch; they have feet, but they shall never walk; they shall never speak through their throat.
8 Let those that make them become like unto them, and every one that trusts in them.
9 ¶ O Israel, trust thou in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.
11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.
12 The LORD has been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will greatly bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those that fear the LORD, both small and great.
14 The LORD shall increase his blessing upon you more and more, upon you and your sons.
15 Ye are blessed of the LORD who made the heavens and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, but the earth he has given to the sons of Adam.
17 The dead shall not praise JAH, neither any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless JAH from this time forth and for evermore. Halelu-JAH.
15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16 Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people because their cry is come unto me.
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall reign over my people.
18 ¶ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, take no care for them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on all thy father’s house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Peradventure am I not of Jemini, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is my family not the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, therefore, dost thou speak so to me?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the banquet chamber and made them sit at the head among those that were invited, which were about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it aside.
24 And the cook took up the shoulder and that which was upon it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which was reserved! Set it before thee and eat because for this time it has been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 And they arose early about dawn, and Samuel called Saul, who was on the top of the house, saying, Rise up that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while that I may declare thee the word of God.
10 ¶ Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said, Is it not because the LORD has anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
3 ¶ The Word is faithful, If anyone desires the office of a bishop, {to be a pastor or elder in the congregation} he desires a difficult ministry.
2 It is expedient, therefore, that the bishop be blameless, the husband of only one wife, vigilant, temperate, of worldly affections mortified, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 not given to wine, not hurtful, not greedy of dishonest gain, but gentle, not contentious, not covetous;
4 one that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all integrity;
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God?)
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up, he fall into judgment of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of those who are outside lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 ¶ Likewise the deacons must be honest, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of dishonest gain;
9 holding the mystery of the faith together with a pure conscience.
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