Book of Common Prayer
Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord
A Psalm of David, (A)for the memorial offering.
38 O Lord, (B)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your (C)arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand (D)has come down on me.
3 There is (E)no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my (F)bones
because of my sin.
4 For my (G)iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,
6 I am (H)utterly bowed down and (I)prostrate;
all the day I (J)go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is (K)no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
I (L)groan because of the tumult of my heart.
9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my (M)sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and (N)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My (O)friends and companions (P)stand aloof from my (Q)plague,
and my nearest kin (R)stand far off.
12 Those who seek my life (S)lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt (T)speak of ruin
and meditate (U)treachery all day long.
13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like (V)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no (W)rebukes.
15 But for (X)you, O Lord, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only (Y)let them not rejoice over me,
who (Z)boast against me when my (AA)foot slips!”
Daleth
25 (A)My soul clings to the dust;
(B)give me life (C)according to your word!
26 When (D)I told of my ways, you answered me;
(E)teach me your statutes!
27 (F)Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will (G)meditate on your wondrous works.
28 (H)My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously (I)teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I (J)set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
(K)let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you (L)enlarge my heart![a]
He
33 (M)Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it (N)to the end.[b]
34 (O)Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 (P)Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I (Q)delight in it.
36 (R)Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to (S)selfish gain!
37 (T)Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and (U)give me life in your ways.
38 (V)Confirm to your servant your promise,
(W)that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the (X)reproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I (Y)long for your precepts;
(Z)in your righteousness give me life!
Waw
41 Let your (AA)steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation (AB)according to your promise;
42 then (AC)shall I have an answer for him (AD)who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my (AE)hope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk (AF)in a wide place,
for I have (AG)sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies (AH)before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I (AI)find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48 I will (AJ)lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will (AK)meditate on your statutes.
17 (A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (B)a son who acts shamefully
and (C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (F)insults his Maker;
he who is (G)glad at calamity will not go (H)unpunished.
6 (I)Grandchildren are (J)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (K)becoming to a fool;
still less is (L)false speech to a prince.
8 (M)A bribe is like a magic[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (N)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (O)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (S)returns evil for good,
(T)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
Qualifications for Overseers
3 The saying is (A)trustworthy: If anyone aspires to (B)the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore (C)an overseer[a] must be above reproach, (D)the husband of one wife,[b] (E)sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, (F)hospitable, (G)able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but (H)gentle, not quarrelsome, (I)not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity (J)keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for (K)God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may (L)become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by (M)outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into (N)a snare of the devil.
Qualifications for Deacons
8 (O)Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,[c] (P)not addicted to much wine, (Q)not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must (R)hold the mystery of the faith with (S)a clear conscience. 10 And (T)let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 (U)Their wives likewise[d] must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, (V)faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be (W)the husband of one wife, (X)managing their children and their own households well. 13 For (Y)those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Godliness
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
Return of an Unclean Spirit
43 “When (A)the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through (B)waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and (C)the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this (D)evil generation.”
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, (E)his mother and his (F)brothers[a] stood outside, asking to speak to him.[b] 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For (G)whoever (H)does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.