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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Version
Psalm 61-62

(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Under the Protection of God

Please listen, God,
    and answer my prayer!
I feel hopeless,
and I cry out to you
    from a faraway land.

Lead me to the mighty rock[a]
    high above me.
You are a strong tower,
where I am safe
    from my enemies.

Let me live with you forever
and find protection
    under your wings, my God.
You heard my promises,
    and you have blessed me,
just as you bless everyone
    who worships you.

Let the king have a long
    and healthy life.
May he always rule
    with you, God, at his side;
may your love and loyalty
    watch over him.

I will sing your praises
forever, God, and will always
    keep my promises.

(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)

God Is Powerful and Kind

Only God can save me,
    and I calmly wait for[b] him.
God alone is the mighty rock[c]
    that keeps me safe
and the fortress
    where I am secure.

I feel like a shaky fence
    or a sagging wall.
How long will all of you
    attack and assault me?
You want to bring me down
    from my place of honor.
You love to tell lies,
and when your words are kind,
    hatred hides in your heart.

Only God gives inward peace,
    and I depend on him.
God alone is the mighty rock
    that keeps me safe,
and he is the fortress
    where I feel secure.
God saves me and honors me.
He is that mighty rock
    where I find safety.

Trust God, my friends,
    and always tell him
each of your concerns.
    God is our place of safety.

We humans are only a breath;
    none of us are truly great.
All of us together weigh less
    than a puff of air.
10 Don't trust in violence
or depend on dishonesty
    or rely on great wealth.

11 I heard God say two things:
“I am powerful,
12     (A) and I am very kind.”
The Lord rewards each of us
    according to what we do.

Psalm 68

(A psalm and a song by David for the music leader.)

God Will Win the Battle

Do something, God!
Scatter your hateful enemies.
    Make them turn and run.
Scatter them like smoke!
When you come near,
    make them melt
    like wax in a fire.
But let your people be happy
    and celebrate because of you.

Our God, you are the one
who rides on the clouds,[a]
    and we praise you.
Your name is the Lord,
and we celebrate
    as we worship you.

Our God, from your sacred home
you take care of orphans
    and protect widows.
You find families
    for those who are lonely.
You set prisoners free
    and let them prosper,[b]
but all who rebel will live
    in a scorching desert.

You set your people free,
and you led them
    through the desert.
(A) God of Israel,
the earth trembled,
    and rain poured down.
You alone are the God
    who rules from Mount Sinai.
When your land was thirsty,
you sent showers
    to refresh it.
10 Your people settled there,
and you were generous
    to everyone in need.

11 You gave the command, Lord,
and a chorus of women told
    what had happened:
12 “Kings and their armies
    retreated and ran,
and everything they left
    is now being divided.
13 And for those who stayed back
    to guard the sheep,
there are metal doves
with silver-coated wings
    and shiny gold feathers.”

14 God All-Powerful, you scattered
the kings like snow falling
    on Mount Zalmon.[c]

15 Our Lord and our God,
Bashan is a mighty mountain
    covered with peaks.
16 Why is it jealous of Zion,
the mountain you chose
    as your home forever?

17 When you, Lord God, appeared
    to your people[d] at Sinai,
you came with thousands
    of mighty chariots.
18 (B) When you climbed
    the high mountain,
you took prisoners with you
    and were given gifts.
Your enemies didn't want you
to live there,
    but they gave you gifts.

19 We praise you, Lord God!
You treat us with kindness
    day after day,
    and you rescue us.
20 You always protect us
    and save us from death.

21 Our Lord and our God,
your terrible enemies
    are ready for war,[e]
but you will crush
    their skulls.
22 You promised to bring them
from Bashan
    and from the deepest sea.
23 Then we could wash our feet
    in their blood,
and our dogs could chew
    on their bones.

24 We have seen crowds marching
to your place of worship,
    our God and King.
25 Singers come first,
    and then the musicians,
surrounded by young women
    playing tambourines.
26 They come shouting,
“People of Israel,
    praise the Lord God!”
27 The small tribe of Benjamin
    leads the way,
followed by the leaders
    from Judah.
Then come the leaders
    from Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Our God, show your strength!
    Show us once again.
29 Then kings will bring gifts
to your temple
    in Jerusalem.[f]

30 Punish that animal
    that lives in the swamp![g]
Punish that nation
whose leaders and people
    are like wild bulls.
Make them come crawling
    with gifts of silver.
Scatter those nations
    that enjoy making war.[h]
31 Force the Egyptians to bring
    gifts of bronze;
make the Ethiopians[i] hurry
    to offer presents.[j]

32 Now sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth,
    sing to the Lord!
33 Praise the one who rides
    across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks
    with a mighty voice.

34 Tell about God's power!
He is honored in Israel,
    and he rules the skies.
35 The God of Israel is fearsome
    in his temple,
and he makes us strong.
    Let's praise our God!

Isaiah 52:1-12

Jerusalem Can Celebrate

52 (A) Jerusalem, wake up!
    Stand up and be strong.
Holy city of Zion,
    dress in your best clothes.
Those foreigners who ruined
your sacred city
    won't bother you again.
Zion, rise from the dirt!
Free yourself from the rope
    around your neck.

Suffering Will End

The Lord says:
My people, you were sold,
    but not for money;
now you will be set free,
    but not for a payment.
Long ago you went to Egypt
where you lived
    as foreigners.
Then Assyria was cruel to you,
    (B) and now another nation[a]
has taken you prisoner
    for no reason at all.
Your leaders groan with pain,[b]
and day after day
    my own name is cursed.
My people, you will learn
who I am and who is speaking
    because I am here.

A Message of Hope for Jerusalem

(C) What a beautiful sight!
On the mountains a messenger
    announces to Jerusalem,
“Good news! You're saved.
There will be peace.
    Your God is now King.”
Everyone on guard duty,
    sing and celebrate!
Look! You can see the Lord
    returning to Zion.
Jerusalem, rise from the ruins!
    Join in the singing.
The Lord has given comfort
to his people;
    he comes to your rescue.
10 The Lord has shown all nations
    his mighty strength;
now everyone will see
    the saving power of our God.

A Command To Leave Babylon

11 (D) Leave the city of Babylon!
    Don't touch anything filthy.
Wash yourselves. Be ready
to carry back everything sacred
    that belongs to the Lord.
12 You won't need to run.
    No one is chasing you.
The Lord God of Israel
will lead and protect you
    from enemy attacks.

Galatians 4:12-20

12 My friends, I beg you to be like me, just as I once tried to be like you. Did you mistreat me 13 when I first preached to you? No you didn't, even though you knew I had come there because I was sick. 14 My illness must have caused you some trouble, but you didn't hate me or turn me away because of it. You welcomed me as though I were one of God's angels or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that good feeling now? I am sure if it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Am I now your enemy, just because I told you the truth?

17 Those people may be paying you a lot of attention, but it isn't for your good. They only want to keep you away from me, so you will pay them a lot of attention. 18 It is always good to give your attention to something worthwhile, even when I am not with you. 19 My children, I am in terrible pain until Christ may be seen living in you. 20 I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled.

Mark 8:1-10

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

(Matthew 15.32-39)

One day another large crowd gathered around Jesus. They had not brought along anything to eat. So Jesus called his disciples together and said, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and they don't have anything to eat. Some of them live a long way from here. If I send them away hungry, they might faint on their way home.”

The disciples said, “This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?”

Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, “Seven small loaves of bread.”[a]

After Jesus told the crowd to sit down, he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He then broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples, who passed them out to the crowd. They also had a few little fish, and after Jesus had blessed these, he told the disciples to pass them around.

8-9 The crowd of about 4,000 people ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.

As soon as Jesus had sent the people away, 10 he got into the boat with the disciples and crossed to the territory near Dalmanutha.[b]

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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