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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 24

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(A) and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;(B)
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.(C)

Who may ascend the mountain(D) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(E)
The one who has clean hands(F) and a pure heart,(G)
    who does not trust in an idol(H)
    or swear by a false god.[a]

They will receive blessing(I) from the Lord
    and vindication(J) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(K) God of Jacob.[b][c]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(L)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(M) of glory(N) may come in.(O)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(P)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(Q)
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty(R)
    he is the King of glory.

Psalm 29

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the Lord,(A) you heavenly beings,(B)
    ascribe to the Lord glory(C) and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness.(D)

The voice(E) of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory(F) thunders,(G)
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.(H)
The voice of the Lord is powerful;(I)
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.(J)
He makes Lebanon leap(K) like a calf,
    Sirion[b](L) like a young wild ox.(M)
The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.(N)
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.(O)
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c](P)
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”(Q)

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;(R)
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.(S)
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;(T)
    the Lord blesses his people with peace.(U)

Psalm 8

Psalm 8[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name(A) in all the earth!

You have set your glory(B)
    in the heavens.(C)
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold(D) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe(E) and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,(F)
    the work of your fingers,(G)
the moon and the stars,(H)
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[c](I)

You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e](J)
    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.(K)
You made them rulers(L) over the works of your hands;(M)
    you put everything under their[g] feet:(N)
all flocks and herds,(O)
    and the animals of the wild,(P)
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,(Q)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(R)

Psalm 84

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

2 Samuel 1:17-27

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 David took up this lament(A) concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,(B) 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):(C)

19 “A gazelle[a] lies slain on your heights, Israel.
    How the mighty(D) have fallen!(E)

20 “Tell it not in Gath,(F)
    proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,(G)
lest the daughters of the Philistines(H) be glad,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.(I)

21 “Mountains of Gilboa,(J)
    may you have neither dew(K) nor rain,(L)
    may no showers fall on your terraced fields.[b](M)
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
    the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.(N)

22 “From the blood(O) of the slain,
    from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow(P) of Jonathan did not turn back,
    the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23 Saul and Jonathan—
    in life they were loved and admired,
    and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,(Q)
    they were stronger than lions.(R)

24 “Daughters of Israel,
    weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
    who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.(S)

25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve(T) for you, Jonathan(U) my brother;(V)
    you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,(W)
    more wonderful than that of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen!
    The weapons of war have perished!”(X)

Romans 12:9-21

Love in Action

Love must be sincere.(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(B) 10 Be devoted to one another in love.(C) Honor one another above yourselves.(D) 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(E) serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,(F) patient in affliction,(G) faithful in prayer.(H) 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.(I) Practice hospitality.(J)

14 Bless those who persecute you;(K) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.(L) 16 Live in harmony with one another.(M) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.(N)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(O) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.(P) 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(Q) 19 Do not take revenge,(R) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[b](S) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[c](T)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

31 “When the Son of Man comes(A) in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.(B) 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate(C) the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.(D) 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom(E) prepared for you since the creation of the world.(F) 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,(G) 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me,(H) I was sick and you looked after me,(I) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’(J)

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(K)

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,(L) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire(M) prepared for the devil and his angels.(N) 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’(O)

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.(P)(Q)

New International Version (NIV)

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