But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, ¹  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” ²  you are doing well.

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. ¹ 

So you who believe see ¹  his value, ²  but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the ³  cornerstone, ⁴ 

(for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul ¹  by the lawless deeds he saw and heard ² )

But grow in the grace and knowledge ¹  of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and on ²  that eternal day. ³ 

and has appointed ¹  us as a kingdom, ²  as priests ³  serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! ⁴  Amen.

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground ¹  and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”

(Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay ¹  each one according to what he has done!

The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, ¹  that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.”

Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”

Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. ¹  Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.” ² 

He answered, “Everything is fine. ¹  My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. ²  Please give them a talent ³  of silver and two suits of clothes.’”

But a spirit ¹  empowered ²  Amasai, the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said: ³  “We are yours, O David! We support ⁴  you, O son of Jesse! May you greatly prosper! ⁵  May those who help you prosper! ⁶  Indeed ⁷  your God helps you!” So David accepted them and made them leaders of raiding bands.

With antiphonal response they sang, ¹  praising and glorifying the Lord: “For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever.” All the people gave a loud ²  shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.

may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed ¹  against you – both I myself and my family ²  have sinned.

But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to ¹  forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans ¹  formed three bands and made a raid ²  on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! ³  And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”

But she is unique! ¹  My dove, my perfect one! She is the special daughter ²  of her mother, she is the favorite ³  of the one who bore her. The maidens ⁴  saw her and complimented her; ⁵  the queens and concubines praised her:

The Lord’s sword is dripping with blood, it is covered ¹  with fat; it drips ²  with the blood of young rams and goats and is covered ³  with the fat of rams’ kidneys. For the Lord is holding a sacrifice ⁴  in Bozrah, ⁵  a bloody ⁶  slaughter in the land of Edom.