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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
New International Version (NIV)
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Psalm 83

Psalm 83[a]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;(A)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,(B)
    how your foes rear their heads.(C)
With cunning they conspire(D) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.(E)
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy(F) them as a nation,(G)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered(H) no more.”

With one mind they plot together;(I)
    they form an alliance against you—
the tents of Edom(J) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab(K) and the Hagrites,(L)
Byblos,(M) Ammon(N) and Amalek,(O)
    Philistia,(P) with the people of Tyre.(Q)
Even Assyria(R) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[b](S)

Do to them as you did to Midian,(T)
    as you did to Sisera(U) and Jabin(V) at the river Kishon,(W)
10 who perished at Endor(X)
    and became like dung(Y) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(Z)
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(AA)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(AB)
    of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
    like chaff(AC) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(AD)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(AE)
    and terrify them with your storm.(AF)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(AG) Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(AH)
    may they perish in disgrace.(AI)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(AJ)
    that you alone are the Most High(AK) over all the earth.(AL)

Psalm 146-147

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord,(A) my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;(B)
    I will sing praise(C) to my God as long as I live.(D)
Do not put your trust in princes,(E)
    in human beings,(F) who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;(G)
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.(H)
Blessed are those(I) whose help(J) is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven(K) and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful(L) forever.
He upholds(M) the cause of the oppressed(N)
    and gives food to the hungry.(O)
The Lord sets prisoners free,(P)
    the Lord gives sight(Q) to the blind,(R)
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,(S)
    the Lord loves the righteous.(T)
The Lord watches over the foreigner(U)
    and sustains the fatherless(V) and the widow,(W)
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns(X) forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.[b]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant(Y) and fitting to praise him!(Z)

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(AA)
    he gathers the exiles(AB) of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted(AC)
    and binds up their wounds.(AD)
He determines the number of the stars(AE)
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord(AF) and mighty in power;(AG)
    his understanding has no limit.(AH)
The Lord sustains the humble(AI)
    but casts the wicked(AJ) to the ground.

Sing to the Lord(AK) with grateful praise;(AL)
    make music(AM) to our God on the harp.(AN)

He covers the sky with clouds;(AO)
    he supplies the earth with rain(AP)
    and makes grass grow(AQ) on the hills.
He provides food(AR) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens(AS) when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength(AT) of the horse,(AU)
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights(AV) in those who fear him,(AW)
    who put their hope(AX) in his unfailing love.(AY)

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(AZ)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(BA)
    and blesses your people(BB) within you.
14 He grants peace(BC) to your borders
    and satisfies you(BD) with the finest of wheat.(BE)

15 He sends his command(BF) to the earth;
    his word runs(BG) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(BH) like wool
    and scatters the frost(BI) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(BJ) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(BK) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(BL) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(BM) to Jacob,(BN)
    his laws and decrees(BO) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(BP)
    they do not know(BQ) his laws.[c]

Praise the Lord.(BR)

Psalm 85-86

Psalm 85[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
    you restored the fortunes(A) of Jacob.
You forgave(B) the iniquity(C) of your people
    and covered all their sins.[b]
You set aside all your wrath(D)
    and turned from your fierce anger.(E)

Restore(F) us again, God our Savior,(G)
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?(H)
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive(I) us again,
    that your people may rejoice(J) in you?
Show us your unfailing love,(K) Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.(L)

I will listen to what God the Lord says;
    he promises peace(M) to his people, his faithful servants—
    but let them not turn to folly.(N)
Surely his salvation(O) is near those who fear him,
    that his glory(P) may dwell in our land.

10 Love and faithfulness(Q) meet together;
    righteousness(R) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness(S) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(T)
    and our land will yield(U) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
    and prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

Hear me, Lord, and answer(V) me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.(W)
You are my God; have mercy(X) on me, Lord,
    for I call(Y) to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust(Z) in you.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love(AA) to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry(AB) for mercy.
When I am in distress,(AC) I call(AD) to you,
    because you answer(AE) me.

Among the gods(AF) there is none like you,(AG) Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
    will come(AH) and worship(AI) before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory(AJ) to your name.
10 For you are great(AK) and do marvelous deeds;(AL)
    you alone(AM) are God.

11 Teach me your way,(AN) Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;(AO)
give me an undivided(AP) heart,
    that I may fear(AQ) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(AR)
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me(AS) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.(AT)

14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.(AU)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(AV) God,
    slow to anger,(AW) abounding(AX) in love and faithfulness.(AY)
16 Turn to me(AZ) and have mercy(BA) on me;
    show your strength(BB) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.(BC)
17 Give me a sign(BD) of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Esther 7

Haman Impaled

So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,(A) and as they were drinking wine(B) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,(C) it will be granted.(D)

Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor(E) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.(F) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]

King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage,(G) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.(H) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,(I) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch(J) where Esther was reclining.(K)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”(L)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.(M) Then Harbona,(N) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b](O) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”(P) 10 So they impaled(Q) Haman(R) on the pole(S) he had set up for Mordecai.(T) Then the king’s fury subsided.(U)

Acts 19:11-20

11 God did extraordinary miracles(A) through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured(B) and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits(C) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus(D) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,(E) they were all seized with fear,(F) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[a] 20 In this way the word of the Lord(G) spread widely and grew in power.(H)

Luke 4:14-30

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

14 Jesus returned to Galilee(A) in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.(B) 15 He was teaching in their synagogues,(C) and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth,(D) where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue,(E) as was his custom. He stood up to read,(F) 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,(G)
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news(H) to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a](I)

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.(J) The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled(K) in your hearing.”

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.(L)

23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown(M) what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”(N)

24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.(O) 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.(P) 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.(Q) 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy[b] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”(R)

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town,(S) and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.(T)

New International Version (NIV)

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