Evening Prayer Readings
St. John the Baptist

The First Lesson
The Second Lesson
The Collect
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An Independent Traditional 1928 BCP Ministry

The Psalter


Psalm 24


The Twenty-Fourth Psalm

Domini est terra.


THE earth is the LORD'S, and all that therein is; * the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein.
 
For he hath founded it upon the seas, * and stablished it upon the floods.
 
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? * or who shall rise up in his holy place?
 
Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; * and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn to deceive his neighbour.
 
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, * and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
 
This is the generation of them that seek him; * even of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob.
 
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; * and the King of glory shall come in.
 
Who is this King of glory? * It is the LORD strong and mighty, even the LORD mighty in battle.
 
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; * and the King of glory shall come in.
 
Who is this King of glory? * Even the LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.


Psalm 96


The Ninety-Sixth Psalm

Cantate Domino.


O SING unto the LORD a new song; * sing unto the LORD, all the whole earth.
 
Sing unto the LORD, and praise his Name; * be telling of his salvation from day to day.
 
Declare his honour unto the heathen, * and his wonders unto all peoples.
 
For the LORD is great, and cannot worthily be praised; * he is more to be feared than all gods.
 
As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols; * but it is the LORD that made the heavens.
 
Glory and worship are before him; * power and honour are in his sanctuary.
 
Ascribe unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the peoples, * ascribe unto the LORD worship and power.
 
Ascribe unto the LORD the honour due unto his Name; * bring presents, and come into his courts.
 
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; * let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
 
Tell it out among the heathen, that the LORD is King, and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; * and how that he shall judge the peoples righteously.
 
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; * let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is.
 
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; * then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD.
 
For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; * and with righteousness to judge the world, and the peoples with his truth.



 

The First Lesson


Malachi 4


For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.



 

The Second Lesson

St. Matthew 11:2-19

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.



 

The Collect

St. John the Baptist

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



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