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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)
Version
Psalm 31

Psalm 31[a](A)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.(C)
Turn your ear to me,(D)
    come quickly to my rescue;(E)
be my rock of refuge,(F)
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,(G)
    for the sake of your name(H) lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap(I) that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.(J)
Into your hands I commit my spirit;(K)
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.(L)

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;(M)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.(N)
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction(O)
    and knew the anguish(P) of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands(Q) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.(R)

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;(S)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,(T)
    my soul and body(U) with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish(V)
    and my years by groaning;(W)
my strength fails(X) because of my affliction,[b](Y)
    and my bones grow weak.(Z)
11 Because of all my enemies,(AA)
    I am the utter contempt(AB) of my neighbors(AC)
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;(AD)
    I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,(AE)
    “Terror on every side!”(AF)
They conspire against me(AG)
    and plot to take my life.(AH)

14 But I trust(AI) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times(AJ) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine(AK) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.(AL)
17 Let me not be put to shame,(AM) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent(AN) in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips(AO) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly(AP) against the righteous.

19 How abundant are the good things(AQ)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,(AR)
    on those who take refuge(AS) in you.
20 In the shelter(AT) of your presence you hide(AU) them
    from all human intrigues;(AV)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the Lord,(AW)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love(AX)
    when I was in a city under siege.(AY)
22 In my alarm(AZ) I said,
    “I am cut off(BA) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry(BB) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!(BC)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,(BD)
    but the proud he pays back(BE) in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,(BF)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 35

Psalm 35

Of David.

Contend,(A) Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight(B) against those who fight against me.
Take up shield(C) and armor;
    arise(D) and come to my aid.(E)
Brandish spear(F) and javelin[a](G)
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.(H)

May those who seek my life(I)
    be disgraced(J) and put to shame;(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back(L) in dismay.
May they be like chaff(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord(N) driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net(O) for me without cause(P)
    and without cause dug a pit(Q) for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,(S) to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(W) for them,
    the poor and needy(X) from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14     I went about mourning(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered(AE) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b](AF)
    they gnashed their teeth(AG) at me.

17 How long,(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life(AI) from these lions.(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(AK)
    among the throngs(AL) I will praise you.(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

22 Lord, you have seen(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far(AU) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(AV) and rise(AW) to my defense!
    Contend(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat(AY) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(BA)

26 May all who gloat(BB) over my distress(BC)
    be put to shame(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(BF)
    shout for joy(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”(BI)

28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,(BJ)
    your praises all day long.(BK)

Isaiah 7:10-25

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign,(A) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.(B)

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.(C)

13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!(D) Is it not enough(E) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience(F) of my God(G) also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign:(H) The virgin[b](I) will conceive and give birth to a son,(J) and[c] will call him Immanuel.[d](K) 15 He will be eating curds(L) and honey(M) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows(N) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,(O) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.(P) 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away(Q) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.(R)

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

18 In that day(S) the Lord will whistle(T) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.(U) 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices(V) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes(W) and at all the water holes. 20 In that day(X) the Lord will use(Y) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River(Z)—the king of Assyria(AA)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard(AB) also.(AC) 21 In that day,(AD) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.(AE) 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds(AF) and honey.(AG) 23 In that day,(AH) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,[e](AI) there will be only briers and thorns.(AJ) 24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers(AK) and thorns. 25 As for all the hills(AL) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;(AM) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.(AN)

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(A) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[a](B) to be saved(C) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(D) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(E) to this through our gospel,(F) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm(G) and hold fast to the teachings[b] we passed on to you,(H) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,(I) who loved us(J) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage(K) your hearts and strengthen(L) you in every good deed and word.

Request for Prayer

As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(M) pray for us(N) that the message of the Lord(O) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(P) And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(Q) for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful,(R) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(S) We have confidence(T) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts(U) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Luke 22:14-30

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles(A) reclined at the table.(B) 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.(C) 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”(D)

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it,(E) and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant(F) in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a] 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.(G) 22 The Son of Man(H) will go as it has been decreed.(I) But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(J) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(K) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(L) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(M) 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom,(N) just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom(O) and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(P)

New International Version (NIV)

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