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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 45

45 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, for the hidden.

Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.

Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea.

Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength.

The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful: the most High hath sanctified his own tabernacle.

God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early.

Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled.

The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth,

10 Making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire.

11 Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.

12 The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

Psalm 47-48

47 A psalm of a canticle, for the sons of Core, on the second day of the week.

Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.

In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.

For behold the kings of the earth assembled themselves: they gathered together.

So they saw, and they wondered, they were troubled, they were moved:

Trembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in labour.

With a vehement wind thou shalt break in pieces the ships of Tharsis.

As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever.

10 We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

11 According to thy name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of justice.

12 Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of thy judgments, O Lord.

13 Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell ye in her towers.

14 Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that ye may relate it in another generation.

15 For this is God, our God unto eternity, and for ever and ever: he shall rule us for evermore.

48 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,

Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,

10 And shall still live unto the end.

11 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:

12 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.

13 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

14 This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.

15 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.

16 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.

17 Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

18 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.

19 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.

20 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.

21 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

Ezra 5

Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.

Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?

In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.

But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.

The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.

The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.

Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.

And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?

10 We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.

11 And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.

12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth a decree, that this house of God should be built.

14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,

15 And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

16 Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.

17 Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king's library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Revelation 4

After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, said: Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must be done hereafter.

And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.

And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the 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, four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold.

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind.

And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.

And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever;

10 The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power: because thou hast created all things; and for thy will they were, and have been created.

Matthew 13:1-9

13 The same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore.

And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.

And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.

And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.

And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.

And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.

And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.