O HOW amiable are thy dwellings, * thou LORD of hosts!
My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the LORD; * my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest, where she may lay her young; * even thy altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; * they will be alway praising thee.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; * in whose heart are thy ways.
Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well; * and the pools are filled with water.
They will go from strength to strength, * and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; * hearken, O God of Jacob.
Behold, O God our defender, * and look upon the face of thine anointed.
For one day in thy courts * is better than a thousand.
I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, * than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.
For the LORD God is a light and defence; * the LORD will give grace and worship; and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.
O LORD God of hosts, * blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.

LORD, thou art become gracious unto thy land; * thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people, * and covered all their sins.
Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, * and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
Turn us then, O God our Saviour, * and let thine anger cease from us.
Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever? * and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us, * that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, * and grant us thy salvation.
I will hearken what the LORD God will say; * for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again unto foolishness.
For his salvation is nigh them that fear him; * that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together: * righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall flourish out of the earth, * and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
Yea, the LORD shall show loving-kindness; * and our land shall give her increase.
Righteousness shall go before him, * and shall direct his going in the way.

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: And there they preached the gospel.

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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