PRAYER

Give ear to my words, O LORD,

Consider my meditation.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:

For unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

In the day when I cried thou answeredst me,

And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;  

 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 

 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 

 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 

 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 

 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 

 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 

 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 

 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  

 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 

 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 

 and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 

 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 

 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 

 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 

 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 

 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 

 and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 

 are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 

 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 

 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 

 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  

 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:  

 but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD:

Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Pride goeth before destruction,

And an haughty spirit before a fall. 

 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 

 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 

 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 

 all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 

 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 

 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 

 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  

 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  

 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 

 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 

 and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  

 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 

 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.  

 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 

 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 

 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 

 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 

 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. 

(For he saith,

I have heard thee in a time accepted,

And in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:

behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  

 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 

 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  

 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

I know that thou canst do every thing,

And that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?

Therefore have I uttered that I understood not;

Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 

 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 

 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 

 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 

 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 

 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 

 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.  

 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 

 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 

 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  

 because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 

 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  

 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.  

 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.  

 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. 

 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.  

 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 

 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 

 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 

 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 

 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 

 specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.  

 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. 

 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.  

 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.  

 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 

 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.  

 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 

 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.  

 And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. 

 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? 

 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 

 and she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. 

 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 

 let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. 

 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 

 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 

 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. 

 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. 

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding

In the sight of God and man.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,

And loving favour rather than silver and gold.

 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.  

 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. 

 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 

 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  

 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 

 for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 

 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 

 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 

 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.  

 Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. 

 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 

 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 

 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  

 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. 

 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. 

 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 

 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. 

 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  

 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 

 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 

 and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.  

 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 

 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.  

 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 

 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 

 and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 

 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 

 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 

 and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 

 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 

 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 

 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 

 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.