1 Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!
—-
2 Here the King of all the ages,
throned in light ere worlds could be,
robed in mortal flesh is dying,
crucified by sin for me.
—-
3 O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
all the sufferings of time!
—-
4 Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!
—-
2 Here the King of all the ages,
throned in light ere worlds could be,
robed in mortal flesh is dying,
crucified by sin for me.
—-
3 O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
all the sufferings of time!
—-
4 Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!
Monday, 22 April 2024
+++
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
Morning 21 mins reading
2 Samuel 16 nrsv (23)
David’s Adversaries
16 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.”3 The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5 When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. 7 Shimei shouted while he cursed, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel!8 The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of blood.”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” 11 David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my distress,[a] and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.”13 So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust at him. 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan,[b] and there he refreshed himself.
The Counsel of Ahithophel
15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites[c] came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him.16 When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but the one whom the Lord and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your counsel; what shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle[d] of God, so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed both by David and by Absalom.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Acts 19 nrsv (41) 2 readers
Paul in Ephesus
19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 Then he said, “Into what, then, were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied, 7 altogether there were about twelve of them.
8 He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.9 When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.[a] 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
The Sons of Sceva
11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in reply, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books[b] was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
Second reader
The Riot in Ephesus
21 Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia.
23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. 24 A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. 25 These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, “Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. 26 You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.”
28 When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with the confusion, and people[c] rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travel companions. 30 Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; 31 even some officials of the province of Asia[d] who were friendly to him sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35 But when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Citizens of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven? 36 Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 You have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our[e] goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. 39 If there is anything further[f] you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Psalm 107 nrsv(43) 2 readers
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles
1
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
3
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.[a]
4
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to an inhabited town;
5
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
7
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
8
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
9
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things.
10
Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and in irons,
11
for they had rebelled against the words of God
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12
Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;
they fell down, with no one to help.
13
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
14
he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
and broke their bonds apart.
15
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
16
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17
Some were sick[b] through their sinful ways
and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
18
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
20
he sent out his word and healed them
and delivered them from destruction.
21
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
22
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
Second reader
23
Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters;
24
they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
27
they reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits’ end.
28
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
29
he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30
Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
32
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33
He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36
And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
37
they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38
By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their cattle decrease.
39
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes,
41
but he raises up the needy out of distress
and makes their families like flocks.
42
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness stops its mouth.
43
Let those who are wise pay attention to these things
and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Let us pray.
God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
God the Son,
have mercy upon us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy upon us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
have mercy upon us.
Please pray a short individual prayer as you wish
+++
The Collect of the day is said
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
The Conclusion
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
+++
Evening 9 mins reading
2 Samuel 17 nrsv (29)
17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,[a] and all the people will be at peace.” 4 The advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
The Counsel of Hushai
5 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear too what he has to say.”6 When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “This is what Ahithophel has said; shall we do as he advises? If not, you tell us.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know that your father and his men are warriors and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And when some of our troops[b] fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant warrior whose heart is like the heart of a lion will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are valiant warriors. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in whatever place he may be found, and we shall light on him as the dew falls on the ground, and he will not survive, nor will any of those with him. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring ruin on Absalom.
Hushai Warns David to Escape
15 Then Hushai said to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have counseled. 16 Therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ”17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel; a female slave used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom, so both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it. 19 The man’s wife took a covering, stretched it over the well’s mouth, and spread out grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman said to them, “They have crossed over the brook[c] of water.” And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well and went and told King David. They said to David, “Go and cross the water quickly, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself; he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim, while Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army in the place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,[d]who had married Abigal daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 The Israelites and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils,[e] 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The troops are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
+++
2 Peter 1 nrsv (21)
Salutation
1 Simeon[a] Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith as equally honorable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
The Christian’s Call and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by[b] his own glory and excellence. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[c] to refresh your memory,14 since I know that my death[d] will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[e] with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s[f] own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.[g]
+++
Psalm 108 nrsv(13)
A song. A psalm of David.
1
My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
3
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
4
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6
Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
7
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
8
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
9
Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11
Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
12
Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
13
With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
+++
Psalm 109 nrsv(31)
Prayer for Vindication and Vengeance
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1
Do not be silent, O God of my praise.
2
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3
They surround me with words of hate
and attack me without cause.
4
In return for my love they accuse me,
even while I make prayer for them.[a]
5
So they reward me evil for good
and hatred for my love.
6
They say,[b] “Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand on his right.
7
When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin.
8
May his days be few;
may another seize his position.
9
May his children be orphans
and his wife a widow.
10
May his children wander about and beg;
may they be driven out of[c] the ruins they inhabit.
11
May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
12
May there be no one to do him a kindness
nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.
13
May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation.
14
May the iniquity of his father[d] be remembered before the Lord,
and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15
Let them be before the Lord continually,
and may his[e] memory be cut off from the earth.
16
For he did not remember to show kindness
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted to their death.
17
He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.
18
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.
19
May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
like a belt that he wears every day.”
20
May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life.
21
But you, O Lord my Lord,
act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.
22
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is pierced within me.
23
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24
My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt.
25
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26
Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
27
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
28
Let them curse, but you will bless.
Let my assailants be put to shame;[f] may your servant be glad.
29
May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.
30
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
+++
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
Morning 21 mins reading
2 Samuel 16 nrsv (23)
David’s Adversaries
16 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.”3 The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5 When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. 7 Shimei shouted while he cursed, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel!8 The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of blood.”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” 11 David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my distress,[a] and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.”13 So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust at him. 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan,[b] and there he refreshed himself.
The Counsel of Ahithophel
15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites[c] came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him.16 When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but the one whom the Lord and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your counsel; what shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle[d] of God, so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed both by David and by Absalom.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Acts 19 nrsv (41) 2 readers
Paul in Ephesus
19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 Then he said, “Into what, then, were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied, 7 altogether there were about twelve of them.
8 He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.9 When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.[a] 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
The Sons of Sceva
11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in reply, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books[b] was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
Second reader
The Riot in Ephesus
21 Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia.
23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. 24 A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. 25 These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, “Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. 26 You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.”
28 When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with the confusion, and people[c] rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travel companions. 30 Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; 31 even some officials of the province of Asia[d] who were friendly to him sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35 But when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Citizens of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven? 36 Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 You have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our[e] goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. 39 If there is anything further[f] you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Psalm 107 nrsv(43) 2 readers
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles
1
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
3
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.[a]
4
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to an inhabited town;
5
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
7
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
8
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
9
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things.
10
Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and in irons,
11
for they had rebelled against the words of God
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12
Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;
they fell down, with no one to help.
13
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
14
he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
and broke their bonds apart.
15
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
16
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17
Some were sick[b] through their sinful ways
and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
18
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
20
he sent out his word and healed them
and delivered them from destruction.
21
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
22
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
Second reader
23
Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters;
24
they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
27
they reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits’ end.
28
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
29
he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30
Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
32
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33
He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36
And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
37
they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38
By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their cattle decrease.
39
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes,
41
but he raises up the needy out of distress
and makes their families like flocks.
42
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness stops its mouth.
43
Let those who are wise pay attention to these things
and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Let us pray.
God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
God the Son,
have mercy upon us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy upon us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
have mercy upon us.
Please pray a short individual prayer as you wish
+++
The Collect of the day is said
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
The Conclusion
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
+++
Evening 9 mins reading
2 Samuel 17 nrsv (29)
17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,[a] and all the people will be at peace.” 4 The advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
The Counsel of Hushai
5 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear too what he has to say.”6 When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “This is what Ahithophel has said; shall we do as he advises? If not, you tell us.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know that your father and his men are warriors and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And when some of our troops[b] fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant warrior whose heart is like the heart of a lion will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are valiant warriors. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in whatever place he may be found, and we shall light on him as the dew falls on the ground, and he will not survive, nor will any of those with him. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring ruin on Absalom.
Hushai Warns David to Escape
15 Then Hushai said to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have counseled. 16 Therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ”17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel; a female slave used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom, so both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it. 19 The man’s wife took a covering, stretched it over the well’s mouth, and spread out grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman said to them, “They have crossed over the brook[c] of water.” And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well and went and told King David. They said to David, “Go and cross the water quickly, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself; he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim, while Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army in the place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,[d]who had married Abigal daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 The Israelites and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils,[e] 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The troops are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
+++
2 Peter 1 nrsv (21)
Salutation
1 Simeon[a] Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith as equally honorable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
The Christian’s Call and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by[b] his own glory and excellence. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[c] to refresh your memory,14 since I know that my death[d] will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[e] with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s[f] own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.[g]
+++
Psalm 108 nrsv(13)
A song. A psalm of David.
1
My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
3
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
4
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6
Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
7
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
8
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
9
Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11
Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
12
Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
13
With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
+++
Psalm 109 nrsv(31)
Prayer for Vindication and Vengeance
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1
Do not be silent, O God of my praise.
2
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3
They surround me with words of hate
and attack me without cause.
4
In return for my love they accuse me,
even while I make prayer for them.[a]
5
So they reward me evil for good
and hatred for my love.
6
They say,[b] “Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand on his right.
7
When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin.
8
May his days be few;
may another seize his position.
9
May his children be orphans
and his wife a widow.
10
May his children wander about and beg;
may they be driven out of[c] the ruins they inhabit.
11
May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
12
May there be no one to do him a kindness
nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.
13
May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation.
14
May the iniquity of his father[d] be remembered before the Lord,
and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15
Let them be before the Lord continually,
and may his[e] memory be cut off from the earth.
16
For he did not remember to show kindness
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted to their death.
17
He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.
18
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.
19
May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
like a belt that he wears every day.”
20
May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life.
21
But you, O Lord my Lord,
act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.
22
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is pierced within me.
23
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24
My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt.
25
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26
Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
27
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
28
Let them curse, but you will bless.
Let my assailants be put to shame;[f] may your servant be glad.
29
May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.
30
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save them from those who would condemn them to death.