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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Version
Psalm 131-135

131 O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness.

How he swore to the Lord, he vowed a vow to the God of Jacob:

If I shall enter into the tabernacle of my house: if I shall go up into the bed wherein I lie:

If I shall give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids,

Or rest to my temples: until I find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Behold we have heard of it in Ephrata: we have found it in the fields of the wood.

We will go into his tabernacle: We will adore in the place where his feet stood.

Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place: thou and the ark, which thou hast sanctified.

Let thy priests be clothed with justice: and let thy saints rejoice.

10 For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thy anointed.

11 The Lord hath sworn truth to David, and he will not make it void: of the fruit of thy womb I will set upon thy throne.

12 If thy children will keep thy covenant, and these my testimonies which I shall teach them: Their children also for evermore shall sit upon thy throne.

13 For the Lord hath chosen Sion: he hath chosen it for his dwelling.

14 This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.

15 Blessing, I will bless her widow: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy.

17 There will I bring forth a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

18 His enemies I will clothe with confusion: but upon him will my sanctification flourish.

132 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity.

Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, Which ran down to the skirt of his garment:

As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion. For there the Lord hath commandeth blessing, and life for evermore.

133 Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord.

May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth.

134 Praise ye the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:

You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing ye to his name, for it is sweet.

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.

For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.

Whatsoever the Lord hath pleased he hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.

He bringeth up clouds from the end of the earth: he hath made lightnings for the rain. He bringeth forth winds out of his stores:

He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.

He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of thee, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.

10 He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:

11 Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.

12 And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 Thy name, O Lord, is for ever: thy memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.

14 For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.

15 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands.

16 They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.

17 They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusteth in them.

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem.

135 Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise ye the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise ye the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who alone doth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who made the great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The sun to rule over the day: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever.

11 Who brought Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever.

12 With a mighty hand and a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.

14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endureth for ever.

15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

16 Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endureth for ever.

17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.

18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.

19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endureth for ever.

20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endureth for ever.

21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endureth for ever.

23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endureth for ever.

24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

27 Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Zephaniah 3:1-13

Woe to the provoking, and redeemed city, the dove.

She hath not hearkened to the voice, neither hath she received discipline: she hath not trusted in the Lord, she drew not near to her God.

Her princes are in the midst of her as roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they left nothing for the morning.

Her prophets are senseless men without faith: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have acted unjustly against the law.

The just Lord is in the midst thereof, he will not do iniquity: in the morning, in the morning he will bring his judgment to light, and it shall not be hid: but the wicked man hath not known shame.

I have destroyed the nations, and their towers are beaten down: I have made their ways desert, so that there is none that passeth by: their cities are desolate, there is not a man remaining, nor any inhabitant.

I said: Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive correction: and her dwelling shall not perish, for all things wherein I have visited her: but they rose early and corrupted all their thoughts.

Wherefore expect me, saith the Lord, in the day of my resurrection that is to come, for my judgment is to assemble the Gentiles, and to gather the kingdoms: and to pour upon them my indignation, all my fierce anger: for with the fire of my jealousy shall all the earth be devoured.

Because then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, that all may call upon the name of the Lord, and may serve him with one shoulder.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, shall my suppliants the children of my dispersed people bring me an offering.

11 In that day thou shalt not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proud boasters, and thou shalt no more be lifted up because of my holy mountain.

12 And I will leave in the midst of thee a poor and needy people: and they shall hope in the name of the Lord.

13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and shall lie down, and there shall be none to make them afraid.

1 Peter 2:11-25

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul,

12 Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake: whether it be to the king as excelling;

14 Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good:

15 For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if committing sin, and being buffeted for it, you endure? But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God.

21 For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.

23 Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly.

24 Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed.

25 For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

Matthew 20:1-16

20 The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.

And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.

And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.

But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?

They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.

And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.

When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.

11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,

12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.

13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?

14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.

15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?

16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.