Saint James

Jeremiah 45:1-5

45:1 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3 You said, ‘Woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ 4 Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. 5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the LORD. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

Psalm 7:1-11, (12-18)

1 O LORD my God, in you have I put my trust;*
  save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me,

2 Lest they devour me like a lion and tear me in pieces*
  while there is none to help.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done any such thing,*
  if there be any wickedness in my hands,

4 If I have repaid evil to him who has dealt with me as a friend,*
  or plundered him who without any cause is my enemy,

5 Then let my enemy pursue me and overtake me,*
  let him trample my life into the ground, and lay my honor in the dust.

6 Stand up, O LORD, in your wrath, and lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;*
  rise up for me in the judgment that you have commanded.

7 Then shall the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;*
  lift yourself up again, O LORD, O judge of all the nations.

8 Give sentence for me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,*
  and according to the innocence that is in me.

9 O let the wickedness of the ungodly come to an end,*
  but establish the just.

10 For the righteous God*
  tries the very hearts and minds.

11 God is my shield and my defense;*
  he preserves those who are true of heart.

12 God is a righteous judge, strong and patient;*
  and God is provoked every day.

13 If a man will not repent, God will whet his sword;*
  he will bend his bow, and make it ready.

14 He has prepared for him the instruments of death;*
  he makes his arrows shafts of fire.

15 Behold, the ungodly is in labor with mischief;*
  he has conceived wickedness and brought forth lies.

16 He has made a pit and dug it out,*
  but will himself fall into the trap that he made for others.

17 For his malice shall come upon his own head,*
  and his wickedness shall fall on his own scalp.

18 I will give thanks unto the LORD, according to his righteousness,*
  and I will praise the Name of the LORD Most High.

Acts 11:27-12:3

27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

12:1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Matthew 20:20-28

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”