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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
English Standard Version (ESV)
Version
Psalm 75-76

God Will Judge with Equity

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. (B)A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

75 We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is (C)near.
We[a] recount your wondrous deeds.

“At (D)the set time that I appoint
    I will judge (E)with equity.
When the earth (F)totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its (G)pillars. Selah
I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, (H)‘Do not lift up your horn;
do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes (I)lifting up,
but it is (J)God who executes judgment,
    (K)putting down one and lifting up another.
(L)For in the hand of the Lord there is (M)a cup
    with foaming wine, (N)well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall (O)drain it down to the dregs.

But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 (P)All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    (Q)but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Who Can Stand Before You?

To the choirmaster: with (R)stringed instruments. A Psalm of (S)Asaph. A Song.

76 In Judah God is (T)known;
    his name is great in Israel.
His (U)abode has been established in (V)Salem,
    his (W)dwelling place in Zion.
There he (X)broke the flashing arrows,
    the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah

Glorious are you, more majestic
    (Y)than the mountains full of (Z)prey.
(AA)The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
    (AB)they sank into sleep;
all the men of war
    were unable to use their hands.
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
    both (AC)rider and horse lay stunned.

(AD)But you, you are to be feared!
    Who can (AE)stand before you
    when once your anger is roused?
From the heavens you uttered judgment;
    (AF)the earth feared and was still,
when God (AG)arose to establish judgment,
    to save all the humble of the earth. Selah

10 Surely (AH)the wrath of man shall praise you;
    the remnant[b] of wrath you will put on like a belt.
11 (AI)Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
    let all around him (AJ)bring gifts
    to him who (AK)is to be feared,
12 who (AL)cuts off the spirit of princes,
    who (AM)is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

Psalm 23

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
    He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
    He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
    for his (G)name's sake.

Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
    I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
    your (L)rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You (M)prepare a table before me
    in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
    my (P)cup overflows.
Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    (R)forever.[g]

Psalm 27

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27 The Lord is my (A)light and my (B)salvation;
    (C)whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
    to (D)eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

(E)Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet[b] I will be confident.

(F)One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may (G)dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon (H)the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire[c] in his temple.

For he will (I)hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will (J)lift me high upon a rock.

And now my (K)head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of (L)joy;
(M)I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

(N)Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, (O)“Seek[d] my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[e]
    (P)Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    (Q)O God of my salvation!
10 For (R)my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will (S)take me in.

11 (T)Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on (U)a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 (V)Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for (W)false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they (X)breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look[f] upon (Y)the goodness of the Lord
    in (Z)the land of the living!
14 (AA)Wait for the Lord;
    (AB)be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Numbers 3:1-13

The Sons of Aaron

These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aaron: (A)Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, (B)the anointed priests, (C)whom he ordained to serve as priests. (D)But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

Duties of the Levites

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (E)“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, (F)as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And (G)you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are (H)wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and (I)they shall guard their priesthood. But if (J)any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, (K)I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for (L)all the firstborn are mine. (M)On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”

Galatians 6:11-18

Final Warning and Benediction

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you (A)with my own hand. 12 (B)It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh (C)who would force you to be circumcised, and only (D)in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast (E)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[a] the world (F)has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For (G)neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but (H)a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, (I)peace and mercy be upon them, and upon (J)the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 (K)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be (L)with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Matthew 17:1-13

The Transfiguration

17 (A)And after six days Jesus took with him (B)Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was (C)transfigured before them, and (D)his face shone like the sun, and (E)his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for (F)Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, (G)a bright cloud overshadowed them, and (H)a voice from the cloud said, (I)“This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased; (J)listen to him.” When (K)the disciples heard this, (L)they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and (M)touched them, saying, “Rise, and (N)have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

(O)And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, (P)“Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say (Q)that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and (R)he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but (S)did to him whatever they pleased. (T)So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 (U)Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.