Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 85[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes(A) of Jacob.
2 You forgave(B) the iniquity(C) of your people
and covered all their sins.[b]
3 You set aside all your wrath(D)
and turned from your fierce anger.(E)
4 Restore(F) us again, God our Savior,(G)
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?(H)
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive(I) us again,
that your people may rejoice(J) in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love,(K) Lord,
and grant us your salvation.(L)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace(M) to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.(N)
9 Surely his salvation(O) is near those who fear him,
that his glory(P) may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness(Q) meet together;
righteousness(R) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness(S) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(T)
and our land will yield(U) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
Psalm 87
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(A)
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:[a](C)
4 “I will record Rahab[b](D) and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(E) too, and Tyre(F), along with Cush[c]—
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[d](G)
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(A) to the Lord, for he is good.(B)
His love endures forever.(C)
2 Give thanks(D) to the God of gods.(E)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(F) to the Lord of lords:(G)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(H)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(I) made the heavens,(J)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(K) upon the waters,(L)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(M)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(N) the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn(O) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(P) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(Q) and outstretched arm;(R)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a](S) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(T) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(U)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(V)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(W)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(X)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(Y)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(Z)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(AA) as an inheritance,(AB)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(AC) to his servant Israel.(AD)
His love endures forever.
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(A) went ahead(B) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(C) is at flood stage(D) all during harvest.(E) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(F) It piled up in a heap(G) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(H) while the water flowing down(I) to the Sea of the Arabah(J) (that is, the Dead Sea(K)) was completely cut off.(L) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(M) 17 The priests(N) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(O) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(P)
4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(Q) the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men(R) from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(S) from the middle of the Jordan,(T) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.(U)”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men(V) he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan.(W) Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign(X) among you. In the future, when your children(Y) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’(Z) 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off(AA) before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial(AB) to the people of Israel forever.”
5 1 Follow God’s example,(A) therefore, as dearly loved children(B) 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us(C) and gave himself up for us(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.(E)
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,(F) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,(G) because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(H) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(I) 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater(J)—has any inheritance(K) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a](L) 6 Let no one deceive you(M) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(N) comes on those who are disobedient.(O) 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once(P) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(Q) 9 (for the fruit(R) of the light consists in all goodness,(S) righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.(T) 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(U) but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light(V) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live(Z)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity,(AA) because the days are evil.(AB) 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.(AC) 18 Do not get drunk on wine,(AD) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(AE) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.(AF) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks(AG) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) 4 As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)
6 After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(A) in the Son of Man?”(B)
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(C)
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(D)
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(E)
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