Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants
grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory
of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to
worship the Unity: We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us
stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities,
who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. _Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Rev. iv. 1.
After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven:
and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew
thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in
the Spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat
on the throne: and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and
a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne,
in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four
and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders
sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads
crowns of gold: and out of the throne proceeded lightnings and
thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning
before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before
the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the
midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts
full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a
lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had
a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And
the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they
were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to
come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to
him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four
and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and
worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns
before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and
for thy pleasure they are, and were created.
THE GOSPEL. St John iii. 1.
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him,
Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man
can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of
the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these
things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of
Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily I say unto
thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen;
and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things,
and ye believe not; how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly
things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came
down from heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have eternal life.