Cam Villages, Author at Cam Villages Bible Reading Group

31st July 20175th July 2017

31 July-4 August, 2017 – 2 Samuel 18.18-33

This is Friday’s Additional Weekday Lectionary Bible reading, which we will include in the Cam Villages pop-up prayer.

2 Samuel 18.18-33

¹⁸ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
²⁰ Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
²² Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.”
Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
²³ “But come what may,” he said, “I will run.”
He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. ²⁵ The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
²⁶ The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper, and said, “Behold, a man running alone!”
The king said, “He also brings news.”
²⁷ The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”
The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
²⁸ Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!”
²⁹ The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
³⁰ The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came, and stood still.
³¹ Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “News for my lord the king, for the LORD has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”
³² The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
³³ The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

World English Bible, British Edition

The Psalm for Friday is Psalm 19, which may be found (complete with the Common Worship refrain and a concluding prayer) through this link.

24th July 20175th July 2017

24-28 July, 2017 – John 3.1-15

This is Friday’s Additional Weekday Lectionary Bible reading, which we will include in the Cam Villages pop-up prayer.

John 3.1-15

¹ Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
³ Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, ^* he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
⁵ Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ ⁸ The wind^† blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
⁹ Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? ¹¹ Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. ¹² If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. ¹⁴ As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Notes to the text

^*3:3: The word translated ‘anew’ here and in John 3:7 (ἄνωθεν) also means ‘again’ and ‘from above’.
^†3:8: The same Greek word (πνεῦμα) means wind, breath, and spirit.

World English Bible, British Edition

The Psalm for Friday is Psalm 144, which may be found (complete with the Common Worship refrain and a concluding prayer) through this link.

17th July 20175th July 2017

17-21 July, 2017 – 2 Samuel 5.1-12

This is Friday’s Additional Weekday Lectionary Bible reading, which we will include in the Cam Villages pop-up prayer.

2 Samuel 5.1-12

¹ Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. ² In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in. The LORD said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel.’ ” ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.
⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. ⁶ The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “The blind and the lame will keep you out of here;” thinking, “David can’t come in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. This is David’s city. ⁸ David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike those lame and blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame can’t come into the house.”
⁹ David lived in the stronghold, and called it David’s city. David built around from Millo and inward. ¹⁰ David grew greater and greater; for the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him. ¹¹ Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. ¹² David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

World English Bible, British Edition

The Psalm for Friday is Psalm 139, which may be found (complete with the Common Worship refrain and a concluding prayer) through this link.

10th July 20175th July 2017

10-14 July, 2017 – Matthew 27.27-44

This is Friday’s Additional Weekday Lectionary Bible reading, which we will include in the Cam Villages pop-up prayer.

Matthew 27.27-44

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28 They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. ²⁹ They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they knelt down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. ³¹ When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

³² As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. ³³ When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,” ³⁴ they gave him sour wine^† to drink mixed with gall.^‡ When he had tasted it, he would not drink. ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing amongst them, casting lots,^§ ³⁶ and they sat and watched him there. ³⁷ They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁸ Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left. ³⁹ Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees,^☩ and the elders, said, ⁴² “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” ⁴⁴ The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

Notes to the text

^† 27:34: or, vinegar
^‡ 27:34: Gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green oil from a wormwood plant that is alcoholic in its effect.
^§ 27:35: TR adds “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided my garments amongst them, and for my clothing they cast lots;’ ” [see Psalm 22:18 and John 19:24]
^☩ 27:41: TR omits “the Pharisees”

World English Bible, British Edition

The Psalm for Friday is Psalm 88, which may be found (complete with the Common Worship refrain and a concluding prayer) through this link.

John Keble, Anglican poet and priest (1792-1866)

Today we remember John Keble, an influential Anglican writer. You can find more about him at Wikipedia, or read some of his poetry and hymnody here.

He is probably best remembered for two hymns, Blest are the pure in heart and New every morning is the love. Here is verse from a lesser-known hymn, Lord of life, prophetic Spirit, in which the poet asks God to revive the whole Church through a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Thou didst come that fire to kindle;
Fain would we Thy torches prove,
Far and wide Thy beacons lighting
With th’undying spark of love:
Only feed our flame, we pray Thee,
With Thy breathings from above.