4th February

¹ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:² And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.³ And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.⁴ Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:⁵ And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:⁶ And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.⁷ And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?⁸ And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?⁹ And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.¹⁰ And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.¹¹ Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.¹² And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.¹³ And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.¹⁴ And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.¹⁵ For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.¹⁶ Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.¹⁷ Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.¹⁸ And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.¹⁹ And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.²⁰ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.²¹ And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.²² And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:²³ They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.²⁴ And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.²⁵ And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.²⁶ Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.²⁷ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.²⁸ And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.²⁹ And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

¹ Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.² Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:³ Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:⁴ That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.⁵ They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?⁶ They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.⁷ But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.⁸ So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.⁹ And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.¹⁰ The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

¹ Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.² O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.³ Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.⁴ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.⁵ By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:⁶ Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:⁷ Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.⁸ They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.⁹ Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.¹⁰ Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.¹¹ Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.¹² They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

¹ We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.² Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.³ For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.⁴ For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.⁵ Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:⁶ That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.⁷ Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:⁹ And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.¹⁰ And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.¹¹ And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.¹² And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.¹⁴ And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,¹⁶ That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.¹⁷ I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,¹⁹ Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.²⁰ Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:²¹ But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.²² For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.²³ But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;²⁴ Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.²⁵ But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.²⁶ For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.²⁷ It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.²⁸ When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.²⁹ And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.³⁰ Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;³¹ That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;³² That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

¹ I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:² That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:⁴ Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.⁵ Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.⁶ Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.⁷ Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.⁸ Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.⁹ Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.¹⁰ Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.¹¹ Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.¹² Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.¹³ Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.¹⁴ Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.¹⁵ Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.¹⁶ Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.¹⁷ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.¹⁸ For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.¹⁹ For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.²⁰ And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.²¹ Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.²² I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.²³ Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.²⁴ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.²⁵ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,²⁶ But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:²⁷ To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.