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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 93

93 The Lord is the God to whom revenge belongeth: the God of revenge hath acted freely.

Lift up thyself, thou that judgest the earth: render a reward to the proud.

How long shall sinners, O Lord: how long shall sinners glory?

Shall they utter, and speak iniquity: shall all speak who work injustice?

Thy people, O Lord, they have brought low: and they have afflicted thy inheritance.

They have slain the widow and the stranger: and they have murdered the fatherless.

And they have said: The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob understand.

Understand, ye senseless among the people: and, you fools, be wise at last.

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that formed the eye, doth he not consider?

10 He that chastiseth nations, shall he not rebuke: he that teacheth man knowledge?

11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vain.

12 Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord: and shalt teach him out of thy law.

13 That thou mayst give him rest from the evil days: till a pit be dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his own inheritance.

15 Until justice be turned into judgment: and they that are near it are all the upright in heart.

16 Who shall rise up for me against the evildoers? or who shall stand with me against the workers of iniquity?

17 Unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.

18 If I said: My foot is moved: thy mercy, O Lord, assisted me.

19 According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.

20 Doth the seat of iniquity stick to thee, who framest labour in commandment?

21 They will hunt after the soul of the just, and will condemn innocent blood.

22 But the Lord is my refuge: and my God the help of my hope.

23 And he will render them their iniquity: and in their malice he will destroy them: the Lord our God will destroy them.

Psalm 96

96 For the same David, when his land was restored again to him. The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice: let many islands be glad.

Clouds and darkness are round about him: justice and judgment are the establishment of his throne.

A fire shall go before him, and shall burn his enemies round about.

His lightnings have shone forth to the world: the earth saw and trembled.

The mountains melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens declared his justice: and all people saw his glory.

Let them be all confounded that adore graven things, and that glory in their idols. Adore him, all you his angels:

Sion heard, and was glad. And the daughters of Juda rejoiced, because of thy judgments, O Lord.

For thou art the most high Lord over all the earth: thou art exalted exceedingly above all gods.

10 You that love the Lord, hate evil: the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints, he will deliver them out of the hand of the sinner.

11 Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right of heart.

12 Rejoice, ye just, in the Lord: and give praise to the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalm 34

34 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.

Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.

Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.

Let the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.

11 Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

16 They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.

18 I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.

19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.

20 For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.

21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.

22 Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

23 Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.

26 Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.

27 Let them rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.

Sirach 51:13-22

13 Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for death to pass away.

14 I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.

15 I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard.

16 And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time.

17 Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord.

18 When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.

19 I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.

20 My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from my youth up I sought after her.

21 I bowed down my ear a little, and received her.

22 I found much wisdom in myself, and I profited much therein.

1 Corinthians 14:1-12

14 Follow after charity, be zealous for spiritual gifts; but rather that you may prophesy.

For he that speaketh in a tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man heareth. Yet by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.

But he that prophesieth, speaketh to men unto edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

He that speaketh in a tongue, edifieth himself: but he that prophesieth, edifieth the church.

And I would have you all to speak with tongues, but rather to prophesy. For greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues: unless perhaps he interpret, that the church may receive edification.

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in doctrine?

Even things without life that give sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue plain speech, how shall it be known what is said? For you shall be speaking into the air.

10 There are, for example, so many kinds of tongues in this world; and none is without voice.

11 If then I know not the power of the voice, I shall be to him to whom I speak a barbarian; and he that speaketh, a barbarian to me.

12 So you also, forasmuch as you are zealous of spirits, seek to abound unto the edifying of the church.

Matthew 20:1-16

20 The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.

And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.

And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.

But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?

They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.

And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.

When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.

11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,

12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.

13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?

14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.

15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?

16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.