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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 131-135

131 O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness.

How he swore to the Lord, he vowed a vow to the God of Jacob:

If I shall enter into the tabernacle of my house: if I shall go up into the bed wherein I lie:

If I shall give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids,

Or rest to my temples: until I find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Behold we have heard of it in Ephrata: we have found it in the fields of the wood.

We will go into his tabernacle: We will adore in the place where his feet stood.

Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place: thou and the ark, which thou hast sanctified.

Let thy priests be clothed with justice: and let thy saints rejoice.

10 For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thy anointed.

11 The Lord hath sworn truth to David, and he will not make it void: of the fruit of thy womb I will set upon thy throne.

12 If thy children will keep thy covenant, and these my testimonies which I shall teach them: Their children also for evermore shall sit upon thy throne.

13 For the Lord hath chosen Sion: he hath chosen it for his dwelling.

14 This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.

15 Blessing, I will bless her widow: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy.

17 There will I bring forth a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

18 His enemies I will clothe with confusion: but upon him will my sanctification flourish.

132 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity.

Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, Which ran down to the skirt of his garment:

As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion. For there the Lord hath commandeth blessing, and life for evermore.

133 Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord.

May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth.

134 Praise ye the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:

You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing ye to his name, for it is sweet.

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.

For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.

Whatsoever the Lord hath pleased he hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.

He bringeth up clouds from the end of the earth: he hath made lightnings for the rain. He bringeth forth winds out of his stores:

He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.

He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of thee, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.

10 He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:

11 Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.

12 And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 Thy name, O Lord, is for ever: thy memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.

14 For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.

15 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands.

16 They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.

17 They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusteth in them.

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem.

135 Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise ye the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise ye the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who alone doth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who made the great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The sun to rule over the day: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever.

11 Who brought Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever.

12 With a mighty hand and a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.

14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endureth for ever.

15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

16 Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endureth for ever.

17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.

18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.

19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endureth for ever.

20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endureth for ever.

21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endureth for ever.

23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endureth for ever.

24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

27 Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Samuel 13:5-18

The Philistines also were assembled to fight against Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a multitude of people besides, like the sand on the sea shore for number. And going up they camped in Machmas at the east of Bethaven.

And when the men of Israel saw that they were straitened, (for the people were distressed,) they hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits.

And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Galaad. And when Saul was yet in Galgal, all the people that followed him were greatly afraid.

And he waited seven days according to the appointment of Samuel, I and Samuel came not to Galgal, and the people slipt away from him.

Then Saul said: Bring me the holocaust, and the peace offerings. And he offered the holocaust.

10 And when he had made an end of offering the holocaust, behold Samuel came: and Saul went forth to meet him and salute him.

11 And Samuel said to him: What hast thou done? Saul answered: Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come according to the days appointed, and the Philistines were gathered together in Machmas,

12 I said: Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Galgal, and I have not appeased the face of the Lord. Forced by necessity, I offered the holocaust.

13 And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

14 But thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord hath sought him a man according to his own heart: and him hath the Lord commanded to be prince over his people, because thou hast not observed that which the Lord commanded.

15 And Samuel arose and went up from Galgal to Gabaa of Benjamin. And the rest of the people went up after Saul, to meet the people who fought against them, going from Galgal to Gabaa in the hill of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people, that were found with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, were in Gabaa of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Machmas.

17 And there went out of the camp of the Philistines three companies to plunder. One company went towards the way of Ephra to the land of Sual;

18 And another went by the way of Beth-horon, and the third turned to the way of the border, above the valley of Seboim towards the desert.

Acts 8:26-40

26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza: this is desert.

27 And rising up, he went. And behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore.

28 And he was returning, sitting in his chariot, and reading Isaias the prophet.

29 And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?

31 Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.

33 In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?

34 And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip, opening his mouth, and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water; and the eunuch said: See, here is water: what doth hinder me from being baptized?

37 And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch: and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found in Azotus; and passing through, he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Luke 23:13-25

13 And Pilate, calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates, and the people,

14 Said to them: You have presented unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people; and behold I, having examined him before you, find no cause in this man, in those things wherein you accuse him.

15 No, nor Herod neither. For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him.

16 I will chastise him therefore, and release him.

17 Now of necessity he was to release unto them one upon the feast day.

18 But the whole multitude together cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

19 Who, for a certain sedition made in the city, and for a murder, was cast into prison.

20 And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus.

21 But they cried again, saying: Crucify him, crucify him.

22 And he said to them the third time: Why, what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will chastise him therefore, and let him go.

23 But they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified; and their voices prevailed.

24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

25 And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison, whom they had desired; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.