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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Expanded Bible (EXB)
Version
Psalm 103

Praise to the Lord of Love

Of David.

103 ·All that I am [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord;
    ·everything in me [L all my inward parts], ·praise [bless] his holy name.
·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord
    and do not forget all his ·kindnesses [gifts; benefits].
He forgives all ·my [or your] ·sins [iniquity]
    and heals all ·my [or your] ·diseases [ills].
He ·saves [redeems] ·my [or your] life from the ·grave [L pit]
    and ·loads [or crowns] ·me [or you] with ·love [loyalty] and ·mercy [compassion].
He satisfies ·me [or you] with good things [L as long as you live; or according to your desires]
    and ·makes me young again [L renews your youth], like the eagle [Is. 40:31].

The Lord does what is ·right [righteous] and ·fair [just]
    for all who are ·wronged by others [oppressed; exploited].
He ·showed [revealed] his ways to Moses [Ex. 34:5–7]
    and his deeds to the ·people [sons] of Israel.
The Lord shows ·mercy [compassion] and ·is kind [grace].
    He ·does not become angry quickly [is slow to anger], and he has great ·love [loyalty; 86:15; 145:8–9; Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17. 31; Joel 2:13; Jon. 4:2].
He will not always ·accuse [charge; contend with] us,
    and he will not ·be angry forever [L keep watch forever].
10 He ·has not punished us as our sins should be punished [L does not act toward us according to our sins];
    he has not repaid us ·for the evil we have done [L according to our iniquity].
11 As high as the ·sky [heaven] is above the earth,
    so great is his ·love [loyalty] for those who ·respect [fear] him [Prov. 1:7].
12 He has taken our ·sins [transgressions] away from us
    as far as the east is from west.
13 The Lord has ·mercy [compassion] on those who ·respect [fear] him [Prov. 1:7],
    as a father has ·mercy [compassion] on his children.
14 He knows how we were ·made [formed];
    he remembers that we are dust [Gen. 2:7; 3:19; Job 4:19; 10:9; 34:15; Eccl. 3:20; 12:7].

15 Human ·life [L days] is like grass [90:5–6; Is. 51:12];
    we ·grow [sprout; flourish] like a flower in the field [Job 14:2; Is. 40:6–7].
16 After the wind ·blows [passes by], ·the flower [L it] is gone,
    and ·there is no sign of where it was [L no one can recognize its place].
17 But the Lord’s ·love [loyalty] for those who ·respect [fear] him [Prov. 1:7]
    continues forever and ever,
    and his ·goodness [righteousness] continues to their ·grandchildren [L children’s children]
18 and to those who ·keep [observe; guard] his ·agreement [covenant; treaty; Ex. 19–24]
    and who remember to ·obey [L do] his ·orders [precepts].

19 The Lord has ·set [established] his throne in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules over everything [93:1; 96:10; 99:1].
20 You who are his ·angels [or messengers], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
    You are the mighty warriors who do what he says
    and who ·obey [listen to] his voice.
21 You, his ·armies [hosts; C perhaps the angelic army], ·praise [bless] the Lord;
    you are his ·servants [ministers] who do what he ·wants [desires].
22 Everything the Lord has made
    should ·praise [bless] him in all the places he rules.
·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord.

Psalm 111

Praise the Lord’s Goodness

111 Praise the Lord!

I will ·thank [praise] the Lord with all my heart
    in the ·meeting of his good people [council of the upright/virtuous, in the assembly].
The ·Lord does great things [L deeds of the Lord are great];
    those who enjoy them ·seek [study] them.
·What he does is [L His deeds are] ·glorious [beautiful] and ·splendid [majestic],
    and his ·goodness [righteousness] ·continues [stands] forever.
His ·miracles [wonderful acts] are ·unforgettable [remembered; well-known].
    The Lord is ·kind [gracious] and ·merciful [compassionate].
He gives ·food [L prey] to those who fear him [Prov. 1:7].
    He remembers his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] forever.
He has ·shown [proclaimed to] his people ·his power [L the power/strength of his deeds]
    when he gave them the ·lands [L inheritance] of other nations [C the conquest; Josh. 1–12].

·Everything he does is [L The deeds of his hands are] ·good [faithful; true] and ·fair [just];
    all his ·orders [precepts] ·can be trusted [are faithful/true/reliable].
They will ·continue [endure; be unshakeable] forever.
    They were made ·true [faithful] and ·right [virtuous; with integrity].
He ·sets his people free [L sent redemption to his people].
    He ·made his agreement everlasting [L commanded his covenant/treaty forever].
·He [L His name] is holy and ·wonderful [awesome].

10 ·Wisdom begins with respect for [L The beginning/foundation of wisdom is fear of] the Lord [Prov. 1:7];
    those who ·obey [L do] ·his orders [L them] have good ·understanding [insight].
He ·should be praised [endures; L stands] forever.

Psalm 114

God Brought Israel from Egypt

114 When ·the Israelites [Israel] went out of Egypt,
    the ·people [L house] of Jacob left ·that foreign country [L a people of incomprehensible language].
Then Judah became God’s holy place [Ex. 19:6];
    Israel became ·the land he ruled [his dominion].

The Sea [C Red (or Reed) Sea; Ex. 14–15] looked and ·ran away [fled];
    the Jordan River turned back [Josh. 3].
The mountains ·danced [skipped] like ·sheep [rams]
    and the hills like little lambs.
Sea, why did you ·run away [flee]?
    Jordan, why did you turn back?
Mountains, why did you ·dance [skip] like ·sheep [rams]?
    Hills, why did you ·dance [skip] like little lambs?

Earth, ·shake with fear [writhe; tremble] before the Lord,
    before the God of Jacob.
He turned a rock into a pool of water,
    a hard ·rock [flint] into a spring of water [Ex. 17:1–7; Num. 20:1–13].

Exodus 12:28-39

28 They did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

29 At midnight the Lord ·killed [struck] all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt—from the firstborn of ·the king [L Pharaoh] who sat on the throne to the firstborn of the prisoner in ·jail [dungeon; L pit]. Also, all the firstborn farm animals died. 30 ·The king [L Pharaoh], his officers, and all the Egyptians got up during the night because someone had died in every house. So there was a loud outcry everywhere in Egypt.

Israel Leaves Egypt

31 During the night ·the king [L he] called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Get up and leave my people. You and ·your people [L the sons/T children of Israel] may do as you have asked; go and ·worship [serve] the Lord. 32 Take all of your flocks and herds as you have asked, and go. And also bless me.” 33 The Egyptians also ·asked [L urged] the ·Israelites [L people] to hurry and leave, saying, “If you don’t leave, we will all die!”

34 So the people took their dough before the ·yeast [leaven] was added. They wrapped the ·bowls for making dough [L kneading bowls] in clothing and carried them on their shoulders. 35 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] did what Moses told them to do and asked their Egyptian neighbors for things made of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord caused the Egyptians to think ·well [favorably] of them, and the Egyptians gave the people everything they asked for. So ·the Israelites took rich gifts from them [L they plundered/picked clean the Egyptians].

37 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] traveled from Rameses to Succoth [C both were in the Nile Delta]. There were about six hundred thousand men ·walking [L on foot], not including the ·women and children [L children]. 38 ·Many other people who were not Israelites [L A mixed multiude] went with them, as well as a large number of sheep, goats, and cattle. 39 ·The Israelites [L They] used the dough they had brought out of Egypt to bake loaves of ·bread without yeast [unleavened bread]. The dough ·had no yeast in it [was unleavened], because they had been ·rushed [driven] out of Egypt and had no time to get food ready for their trip.

1 Corinthians 15:12-28

We Will Be Raised from the Dead

12 Now ·since we preached that Christ was [L if Christ is preached as] raised from the dead, why do some of you say that people will not be raised from the dead [C some Corinthians denied the resurrection of the body]? 13 If ·no one is ever raised [L there is no resurrection] from the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is ·worth nothing [futile; useless; empty], and your faith is ·worth nothing [futile; useless; empty]. 15 And also, we are ·guilty of lying [L found to be false witnesses] about God, because we testified ·of him [L against God] that he raised Christ from the dead. But if people are not raised from the dead, then God never raised Christ. 16 If the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith ·has nothing to it [is futile/useless/empty]; you are still ·guilty of [or a slave to; L in] your sins. 18 ·And [Consequently; Therefore] those in Christ who have ·already died [L fallen asleep; v. 6] ·are lost [have perished]. 19 If our hope in Christ is for this life only, we should be pitied more than ·anyone else in the world [L all people].

20 But Christ has truly been raised from the dead—the ·first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised [L firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep; C unlike others who had been raised to mortal life, Christ was the first to be raised to everlasting life]. 21 Death has come ·because of what one man did [through a man/human being], but the rising from death also comes ·because of one man [through a man/human being]. 22 In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again [Rom. 5:12–21]. 23 But ·everyone [each] will be raised to life in the right order. Christ was ·first to be raised [L the firstfruits]. When Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life, 24 and then the end will come. At that time Christ will ·destroy [abolish] all rulers, authorities, and powers, and he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. 25 [L For] Christ must ·rule [reign] until he puts all enemies under his ·control [L feet; Ps. 110:1]. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. 27 ·The Scripture says that God put [L For he has subjected] all things under his ·control [L feet; Ps. 8:6]. When it says “all things” are ·under [subjected to] him, it is clear this does not include the One [C God the father] who put everything under his control. 28 After everything has been ·put under [subjected to] the Son, then he will ·put himself under [be subjected to] ·God [L the One…], who had put all things under him. ·Then [or …so that] God will be ·the complete ruler over everything [or supreme in every place and in every way; L all in all].

Mark 16:9-20

Verses 9–20 are not included in some of the earliest surviving Greek copies of Mark and have significant stylistic differences from the rest of Mark’s Gospel.

Some Followers See Jesus(A)

|After Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week, he showed himself first to Mary Magdalene. One time in the past, he had ·forced [driven; cast] seven demons out of her. 10 After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told his followers, who were ·very sad [mourning; grieving] and were crying. 11 But Mary told them that Jesus was alive. She said that she had seen him, but they did not believe her.

12 Later, Jesus showed himself to two of ·his followers [his disciples; L them] while they were walking in the country, but he did not look the same as before. 13 They went back to the others and told them what had happened, but again, they did not believe them.

Jesus Talks to the Disciples(B)

14 Later Jesus showed himself to the eleven while they were ·eating [reclining at table; see 2:15], and he ·criticized [reprimanded; rebuked] them because they had no faith. They were ·stubborn [hard hearted] and refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen from the dead.

15 Jesus said to them, “Go everywhere in the world, and ·tell [preach; proclaim] the ·Good News [Gospel] to ·everyone [all creation]. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be ·punished [condemned]. 17 And those who believe will be able to do these things as ·proof [signs]: They will use my name to ·force [drive; cast] out demons. They will speak in new ·languages [tongues]. 18 They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt. They will ·touch [lay hands on] the sick, and the sick will ·be healed [recover].”

19 After the Lord Jesus said these things to them, he was carried up into heaven, and he sat at the right ·side [hand] of God. 20 The ·followers [disciples] went everywhere in the world and ·told [preached; proclaimed] the ·Good News [Gospel] to people, and the Lord helped them. The Lord ·proved [confirmed] that the ·Good News [Gospel] they ·told [preached; proclaimed] was true by giving them power to work ·miracles [signs].|

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