6th April

¹ And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.² And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.³ And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.⁴ And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.⁵ He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:⁶ Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.⁷ And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.⁸ And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.⁹ And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?¹⁰ And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,¹¹ Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.¹² And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.¹³ And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.¹⁴ And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.¹⁵ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.¹⁶ And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:¹⁷ For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.¹⁸ And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.¹⁹ Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.²⁰ And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.²¹ And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.²² And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.²³ And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.²⁴ But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.²⁵ And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.²⁶ And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.²⁷ And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.²⁸ And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?²⁹ And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.³⁰ And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.³² And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:³³ And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.³⁴ And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.³⁶ And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.³⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?³⁸ And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.³⁹ And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.⁴⁰ And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.⁴¹ And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.³ And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.⁴ And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?¹³ And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.¹⁴ And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.¹⁷ And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.²¹ He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.²² God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.²³ Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?²⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.²⁸ And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.²⁹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.³⁰ And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹ The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.² All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.³ Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.⁴ The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.⁵ Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.⁶ By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.⁷ When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.⁸ Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.⁹ A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.¹⁰ A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.¹¹ A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work.¹² It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.¹⁴ The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.¹⁵ In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.¹⁶ How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.¹⁸ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.¹⁹ Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.²⁰ He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.²¹ The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.²² Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.²³ The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.²⁴ Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.²⁵ There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.²⁶ He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.²⁷ An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.²⁸ A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.²⁹ A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.³⁰ He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.³¹ The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.³² He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.³³ The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

¹ For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,² If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:³ How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,⁴ Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)⁵ Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;⁶ That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:⁷ Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.⁸ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:¹² In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.¹³ Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.¹⁴ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁵ Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,¹⁶ That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,¹⁸ May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,²¹ Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.²⁰ But ye have not so learned Christ;²¹ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.