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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)
Version
Psalm 140

Psalm 140[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Rescue me,(A) Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,(B)
who devise evil plans(C) in their hearts
    and stir up war(D) every day.
They make their tongues as sharp as(E) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers(F) is on their lips.[b]

Keep me safe,(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a snare(I) for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net(J)
    and have set traps(K) for me along my path.

I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”(L)
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.(M)
Sovereign Lord,(N) my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant the wicked(O) their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(P)
10 May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,(Q)
    into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.(R)

12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor(S)
    and upholds the cause(T) of the needy.(U)
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,(V)
    and the upright will live(W) in your presence.(X)

Psalm 142

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

Psalm 141

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
    hear me(B) when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
    may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)

Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
    from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.(W)

Psalm 143

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
    like those long dead.(G)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
I remember(I) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(J) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(K) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]

Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(O)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
    lead(V) me on level ground.(W)

11 For your name’s sake,(X) Lord, preserve my life;(Y)
    in your righteousness,(Z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AA)
    destroy all my foes,(AB)
    for I am your servant.(AC)

Isaiah 24:14-23

14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy;(A)
    from the west(B) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore in the east(C) give glory(D) to the Lord;
    exalt(E) the name(F) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands(G) of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth(H) we hear singing:(I)
    “Glory(J) to the Righteous One.”(K)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!(L)
    Woe(M) to me!
The treacherous(N) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!(O)
17 Terror(P) and pit and snare(Q) await you,
    people of the earth.(R)
18 Whoever flees(S) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;(T)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.(U)

The floodgates of the heavens(V) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.(W)
19 The earth is broken up,(X)
    the earth is split asunder,(Y)
    the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth reels like a drunkard,(Z)
    it sways like a hut(AA) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion(AB)
    that it falls(AC)—never to rise again.(AD)

21 In that day(AE) the Lord will punish(AF)
    the powers(AG) in the heavens above
    and the kings(AH) on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together
    like prisoners(AI) bound in a dungeon;(AJ)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished[a] after many days.(AK)
23 The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun(AL) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign(AM)
    on Mount Zion(AN) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.(AO)

1 Peter 3:13-4:6

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(A) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(B) “Do not fear their threats[a]; do not be frightened.”[b](C) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(D) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(E) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(F) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(G) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(H) to suffer for doing good(I) than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once(J) for sins,(K) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.(L) He was put to death in the body(M) but made alive in the Spirit.(N) 19 After being made alive,[c] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits(O) 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently(P) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.(Q) In it only a few people, eight in all,(R) were saved(S) through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you(T) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience(U) toward God.[d] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(V) 22 who has gone into heaven(W) and is at God’s right hand(X)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.(Y)

Living for God

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,(Z) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.(AA) As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(AB) but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past(AC) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(AD) They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(AE) But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.(AF) For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead,(AG) so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Matthew 20:17-28

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(A)

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem,(B) and the Son of Man(C) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(D) They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(E) and crucified.(F) On the third day(G) he will be raised to life!”(H)

A Mother’s Request(I)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(J) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(K) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(L)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(M) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(N) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(O) with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(P) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(Q) did not come to be served, but to serve,(R) and to give his life as a ransom(S) for many.”

New International Version (NIV)

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