28th April

¹ At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.² And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release.³ Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;⁴ Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:⁵ Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.⁶ For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.⁷ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:⁸ But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.⁹ Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.¹⁰ Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.¹¹ For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.¹² And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.¹³ And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:¹⁴ Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.¹⁵ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;¹⁷ Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.¹⁸ It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.¹⁹ All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.²⁰ Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.²¹ And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.²² Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.²³ Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

¹ A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.² It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.³ Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.¹⁰ Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.¹² For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.¹⁵ All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.¹⁶ Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?¹⁷ Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?¹⁸ It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.¹⁹ Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.²⁰ For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.²¹ Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:²² For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.²³ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.²⁴ That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?²⁵ I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:²⁶ And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.²⁷ Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:²⁸ Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.²⁹ Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,² And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?⁴ Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.⁵ And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.⁶ And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.⁷ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.⁹ Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.¹⁰ Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.¹¹ And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.¹² And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.¹³ And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.¹⁴ And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)¹⁵ Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.¹⁶ There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.¹⁷ Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,¹⁸ And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.¹⁹ But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,²⁰ Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.²¹ And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.²² But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,²³ Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.²⁴ Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.²⁵ Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.²⁶ Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,²⁸ Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.²⁹ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.³¹ Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.³² And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.³³ When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.³⁴ Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;³⁵ And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.³⁶ For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.³⁷ After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.³⁸ And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:³⁹ But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.⁴⁰ And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.⁴¹ And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

¹ And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.² Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.³ Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.⁵ And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:⁶ Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.⁷ And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.⁹ Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.¹¹ Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.¹² And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,¹³ And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:¹⁴ For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.¹⁵ And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.