Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 38[a]
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
2 Your arrows(B) have pierced me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health(C) in my body;
there is no soundness in my bones(D) because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed(E) me
like a burden too heavy to bear.(F)
5 My wounds(G) fester and are loathsome(H)
because of my sinful folly.(I)
6 I am bowed down(J) and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.(K)
7 My back is filled with searing pain;(L)
there is no health(M) in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;(N)
I groan(O) in anguish of heart.(P)
9 All my longings(Q) lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing(R) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(S) my strength fails(T) me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.(U)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(V)
my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(W)
those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(X)
all day long they scheme and lie.(Y)
13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(Z)
like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(AA) for you;
you will answer,(AB) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(AC)
or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(AD)
17 For I am about to fall,(AE)
and my pain(AF) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(AG)
I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(AH) without cause[b];
those who hate me(AI) without reason(AJ) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(AK)
lodge accusations(AL) against me,
though I seek only to do what is good.
ד Daleth
25 I am laid low in the dust;(A)
preserve my life(B) according to your word.(C)
26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.(D)
27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.(E)
28 My soul is weary with sorrow;(F)
strengthen me(G) according to your word.(H)
29 Keep me from deceitful ways;(I)
be gracious to me(J) and teach me your law.
30 I have chosen(K) the way of faithfulness;(L)
I have set my heart(M) on your laws.
31 I hold fast(N) to your statutes, Lord;
do not let me be put to shame.
32 I run in the path of your commands,
for you have broadened my understanding.
ה He
33 Teach me,(O) Lord, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.[a]
34 Give me understanding,(P) so that I may keep your law(Q)
and obey it with all my heart.(R)
35 Direct me(S) in the path of your commands,(T)
for there I find delight.(U)
36 Turn my heart(V) toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.(W)
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life(X) according to your word.[b](Y)
38 Fulfill your promise(Z) to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
39 Take away the disgrace(AA) I dread,
for your laws are good.
40 How I long(AB) for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life.(AC)
ו Waw
41 May your unfailing love(AD) come to me, Lord,
your salvation, according to your promise;(AE)
42 then I can answer(AF) anyone who taunts me,(AG)
for I trust in your word.
43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth,(AH)
for I have put my hope(AI) in your laws.
44 I will always obey your law,(AJ)
for ever and ever.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.(AK)
46 I will speak of your statutes before kings(AL)
and will not be put to shame,(AM)
47 for I delight(AN) in your commands
because I love them.(AO)
48 I reach out for your commands, which I love,
that I may meditate(AP) on your decrees.
The Sons of Noah
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth.(A) (Ham was the father of Canaan.)(B) 19 These were the three sons of Noah,(C) and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.(D)
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded[a] to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine,(E) he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked(F) and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,
26 He also said,
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!(J)
May Canaan be the slave(K) of Shem.
27 May God extend Japheth’s[b] territory;(L)
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,(M)
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.(N)
6 Therefore let us move beyond(A) the elementary teachings(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a](C) and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b](D) the laying on of hands,(E) the resurrection of the dead,(F) and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting,(G) we will do so.
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(J) 5 who have tasted the goodness(K) of the word of God(L) and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.(O) In the end it will be burned.
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends,(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.(Q) 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope(R) for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate(S) those who through faith and patience(T) inherit what has been promised.(U)
John Testifies Again About Jesus
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.(A) 23 Now John(B) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)(C) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.(D) 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,(E) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified(F) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’(G) 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.(H) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.(I) 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”[a]
31 The one who comes from above(J) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.(K) The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard,(L) but no one accepts his testimony.(M) 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent(N) speaks the words of God, for God[b] gives the Spirit(O) without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.(P) 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,(Q) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.