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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 1-4

Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.

Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?

The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ.

Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.

He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.

Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.

But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.

The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.

11 Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling.

12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.

13 When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.

The psalm of David when he fled from the face of his son Absalom.

Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me.

Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God.

But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill.

I have slept and taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.

I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.

For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.

Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.

Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.

When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?

Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.

Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?

The light of thy countenance O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.

By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, they are multiplied.

In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest:

10 For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

Psalm 7

The psalm of David which he sung to the Lord for the words of Chusi the son of Jemini. [2 Kings 16.]

O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.

Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.

O Lord my God, if I have done this thing, if there be iniquity in my hands:

If I have rendered to them that repaid me evils, let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies.

Let the enemy pursue my soul, and take it, and tread down my life on the earth, and bring down my glory to the dust.

Rise up, O Lord, in thy anger: and be thou exalted in the borders of my enemies. And arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded:

And a congregation of people shall surround thee. And for their sakes return thou on high.

The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.

10 The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought: and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God.

11 Just is my help from the Lord: who saveth the upright of heart.

12 God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?

13 Except you will be converted, he will brandish his sword: he hath bent his bow and made it ready.

14 And in it he hath prepared the instruments of death, he hath made ready his arrows for them that burn.

15 Behold he hath been in labour with injustice; he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.

16 He hath opened a pit and dug it; and he is fallen into the hole he made.

17 His sorrow shall be turned on his own head: and his iniquity shall comedown upon his crown.

18 I will give glory to the Lord according to his justice: and will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

Isaiah 40:12-23

12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighed the heavens with his palm? who hath poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath forwarded the spirit of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor, and hath taught him?

14 With whom hath he consulted, and who hath instructed him, and taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and shewed him the way of understanding?

15 Behold the Gentiles are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the smallest grain of a balance: behold the islands are as a little dust.

16 And Libanus shall not be enough to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

17 All nations are before him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing, and vanity.

18 To whom then have you likened God? or what image will you make for him?

19 Hath the workman cast a graven statue? or hath the goldsmith formed it with gold, or the silversmith with plates of silver?

20 He hath chosen strong wood, and that will not rot: the skillful workman seeketh how he may set up an idol that may not be moved.

21 Do you not know? hath it not been heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he that sitteth upon the globe of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts: he that stretcheth out the heavens as nothing, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.

23 He that bringeth the searchers of secrets to nothing, that hath made the judges of the earth as vanity.

Ephesians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:

As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.

Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will:

Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath graced us in his beloved son.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace,

Which hath superabounded in us in all wisdom and prudence,

That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in him,

10 In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.

11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will.

12 That we may be unto the praise of his glory, we who before hoped Christ:

13 In whom you also, after you had heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation;) in whom also believing, you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise,

14 Who is the pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of acquisition, unto the praise of his glory.

Mark 1:1-13

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaias the prophet: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare the way before thee.

A voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

John was in the desert baptizing, and preaching the baptism of penance, unto remission of sins.

And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey.

And he preached, saying: There cometh after me one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass, in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10 And forthwith coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit as a dove descending, and remaining on him.

11 And there came a voice from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

12 And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert.

13 And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan; and he was with beasts, and the angels ministered to him.