11th January

¹ And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.² And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.³ But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.⁴ But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?⁵ Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.⁶ And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.⁷ Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.⁸ Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.⁹ Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.¹⁰ And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?¹¹ And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.¹² And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.¹³ And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.¹⁴ And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.¹⁵ And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.¹⁶ And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.¹⁷ So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.¹⁸ For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

¹ And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.² For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.³ And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.⁴ And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.⁵ And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.⁶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.⁷ And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.⁸ And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.⁹ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.¹⁰ Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.¹¹ And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.¹² And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.¹³ And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.¹⁴ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.¹⁵ And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.¹⁶ And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.¹⁷ And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.¹⁸ Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.¹⁹ And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.²⁰ And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.²¹ And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.²² And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:²³ Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.²⁴ And Abraham said, I will swear.²⁵ And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.²⁶ And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.²⁷ And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.²⁸ And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.²⁹ And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?³⁰ And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.³¹ Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.³² Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.³³ And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.³⁴ And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

¹ The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.² For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.³ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?⁴ He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.⁵ He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.⁶ This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.⁷ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.⁸ Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.⁹ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.¹⁰ Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

¹ Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.² O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.³ Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.⁴ Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.⁵ Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.⁶ Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.⁸ Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.⁹ The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.¹¹ For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.¹² What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.¹³ His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.¹⁴ The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.¹⁵ Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.¹⁶ Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.¹⁷ The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.¹⁸ Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.¹⁹ Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.²⁰ O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.²² Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

¹ The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.² And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.³ And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;⁴ And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:⁵ Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:⁶ And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:⁸ But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.⁹ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.¹⁰ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?¹¹ He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.¹² For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.¹⁴ And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:¹⁵ For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.¹⁷ For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.¹⁸ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.¹⁹ When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.²⁰ But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;²¹ Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.²² He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.²³ But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.²⁴ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:²⁵ But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.²⁶ But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.²⁷ So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?²⁸ He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?²⁹ But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.³¹ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:³² Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.³³ Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.³⁴ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:³⁵ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.³⁷ He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;³⁸ The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;³⁹ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.⁴⁰ As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.⁴⁴ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.⁴⁵ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:⁴⁶ Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.⁴⁷ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:⁴⁸ Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.⁴⁹ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,⁵⁰ And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.⁵¹ Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.⁵² Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.⁵³ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.⁵⁴ And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?⁵⁶ And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?⁵⁷ And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.⁵⁸ And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.