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| "The Palsied Man Let Down through the Roof" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 8: 4 - 7, 10 - 22
4
Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to
Ramatha.
5
And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in
thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have.
6
And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should
say: Give us a king, to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7
And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in
all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me,
that I should not reign over them.
10
Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had
desired a king of him,
11
And said: This will be the right of the king, that shall reign over
you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will
make them his horsemen, and his running footmen to run before his
chariots,
12
And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and
to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and
chariots.
13
Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his
cooks, and bakers.
14
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best
oliveyards, and give them to his servants.
15
Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of
your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.
16
Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and
your asses he will take away, and put them to his work.
17
Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.
18
And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you
have chosen to yourselves. and the Lord will not hear you in that
day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.
19
But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said:
Nay: but there shall be a king over us.
20
And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us,
and go out before us, and tight our battles for us.
21
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in
the ears of the Lord.
22
And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a
king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his
city.
16
Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O
Lord, in the light of thy countenance:
17
And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice
they shall be exalted.
18
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure
shall our horn be exalted.
19
For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of
Israel.
1
And again he entered into Capharnaum after some days.
2
And it was heard that he was in the house, and many came together, so
that there was no room; no, not even at the door; and he spoke to
them the word.
3
And they came to him, bringing one sick of the palsy, who was carried
by four.
4
And when they could not offer him unto him for the multitude, they
uncovered the roof where he was; and opening it, they let down the
bed wherein the man sick of the palsy lay.
5
And when Jesus had seen their faith, he saith to the sick of the
palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.
6
And there were some of the scribes sitting there, and thinking in
their hearts:
7
Why doth this man speak thus? he blasphemeth. Who can forgive sins,
but God only?
8
Which Jesus presently knowing in his spirit, that they so thought
within themselves, saith to them: Why think you these things in your
hearts?
9
Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy: Thy sins are
forgiven thee; or to say: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?
10
But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to
forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11
I say to thee: Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.
12
And immediately he arose; and taking up his bed, went his way in the
sight of all; so that all wondered and glorified God, saying: We
never saw the like.
