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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Expanded Bible (EXB)
Version
Psalm 118

Thanksgiving for Victory

118 ·Thank [Praise] the Lord because he is good.
    His ·love [loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever.
Let Israel say,
    “His ·love [loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever.”
Let the ·family [L house] of Aaron [C the priests] say,
    “His ·love [loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever.”
Let those who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7] say,
    “His ·love [loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever.”

I was in ·trouble [distress], so I ·called [prayed] to the Lord.
    The Lord answered me and set me ·free [L in a broad place].
I will not ·be afraid [fear], because the Lord is with me [Rom. 8:31].
    ·People can’t do anything [L What can people do…?] to me [Heb. 13:6].
The Lord is with me to help me,
    so I will ·see my enemies defeated [L look on my enemy; C in triumph].
It is better to ·trust [find refuge in] the Lord
    than to ·trust [have confidence in] people.
It is better to ·trust [find refuge in] the Lord
    than to ·trust [have confidence in] princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but I ·defeated them [warded them off] in the name of the Lord.
11 They surrounded me; they surrounded me on every side,
    but ·with the Lord’s power [L in the name of the Lord] I ·defeated them [warded them off].
12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees,
    but they ·died [L were extinguished] as quickly as thorns burn.
    ·By the Lord’s power [L In the name of the Lord], I ·defeated them [warded them off].
13 They [or You] ·chased me [pushed me hard] until I ·was almost defeated [almost fell],
    but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord ·gives me strength and a song [L is my strength and song/or might].
    He has ·saved me [given me victory].

15 Shouts of joy and victory
    come from the tents of ·those who do right [the righteous]:
    “The right hand of the Lord has done powerful things.”
16 The ·power [L right hand] of the Lord ·has won the victory [is exalted];
    with his ·power [L right hand] the Lord has done powerful things.

17 I will not die, but live,
    and I will ·tell [recount] what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has ·taught me a hard lesson [L surely disciplined/instructed me],
    but he did not ·let me die [L give me over to death].

19 Open for me the ·Temple gates [L gates of righteousness].
    Then I will come in and ·thank [praise] the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate;
    only ·those who are good [the righteous] may enter through it [15; 24:3–6].
21 Lord, I ·thank [praise] you for answering me.
    You have ·saved me [given me victory].

22 The stone that the builders rejected
    became the chief cornerstone [Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:7].
23 ·The Lord did this [L This is from the Lord],
    and it is wonderful ·to us [L in our eyes; Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10–11].
24 This is the day that the Lord has made.
    Let us rejoice and be glad ·today [L in it]!

25 Please, Lord, ·save us [give us victory];
    please, Lord, give us ·success [prosperity].
26 ·God bless [Blessed be] the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless all of you from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord [Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35; 19:38].
27 The Lord is God,
    and he has ·shown kindness to [illuminated; given light to] us.
·With branches in your hands, join the feast [L Bind the feast/procession with branches].
    Come to the ·corners [L horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will ·thank [praise] you;
you are my God, and I will ·praise your greatness [L exalt you].

29 ·Thank [Praise] the Lord because he is good.
His ·love [loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever.

Psalm 145

Praise to God the King

A psalm of praise. Of David.

145 I ·praise your greatness [exalt you], my God the King;
    I will ·praise [bless] ·you [L your name] forever and ever.
I will ·praise [bless] you every day;
    I will praise ·you [L your name] forever and ever.
The Lord is great and ·worthy of our praise [greatly to be praised; 48:1];
    ·no one can understand how great he is [L there is no searching out/limit to his greatness].

·Parents [L A generation] will ·tell their children [L praise to a generation] what you have done.
    They will ·retell [proclaim] your mighty acts,
·wonderful majesty, and glory [L and the majestic glory of your splendor; C God’s manifest presence].
    And I will ·think about [meditate on] your ·miracles [wonderful works].
They will tell about the ·amazing things you do [L might of your awesomeness],
    and I will ·tell [recount] how great you are.
They will ·remember [bubble forth with] ·your great goodness [L the remembrance of your goodness]
    and will sing about your ·fairness [righteousness].

The Lord is ·kind [gracious] and ·shows mercy [compassionate].
    He ·does not become angry quickly [is slow to anger] but ·is full of love [has great loyalty].
The Lord is good to everyone;
    he is ·merciful [compassionate] to all he has made [86:15; 103:8; Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17, 31; Joel 2:13; Jon. 4:2].
10 Lord, everything you have made will ·praise [bless] you;
    ·those who belong to you [your saints/loyal ones] will bless you.
11 They will tell about the glory of your kingdom
    and will speak about your ·power [strength].
12 Then everyone will know the mighty things you do
    and the glory and ·majesty [splendor] of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom ·will go on and on [L is an eternal kingdom],
    and you will rule ·forever [L from generation to generation; Dan. 4:3].

The Lord ·will keep all his promises [L is faithful/true in all his words];
    he is loyal to all he has made.[a]
14 The Lord ·helps [supports] those who have ·been defeated [L fallen]
    and ·takes care of [L lifts up] those who are ·in trouble [bowed down].
15 ·All living things look to you for food [L The eyes of all look to you],
    and you give ·it [L their food] to them at the right time.
16 You open your hand,
    and you satisfy the desire of all living things [Matt. 6:25–27].

17 ·Everything the Lord does is right [L The Lord is righteous in all his ways].
    He is loyal ·to all he has made [or in all his deeds].
18 The Lord is ·close [near] to everyone who ·prays to [calls on] him,
    to all who ·truly pray to him [call on him in truth/faithfulness].
19 He ·gives those who respect him what they want [L accomplishes the desire of all who fear him; Prov. 1:7].
    He listens when they cry, and he ·saves them [gives them victory].
20 The Lord ·protects [guards; keeps] everyone who loves him,
    but he will destroy the wicked.

21 ·I will praise [L My mouth will speak the praise of] the Lord.
Let ·everyone [L all flesh] ·praise [bless] his holy name forever.

Isaiah 66:7-14

“·A woman does not give birth [L She gives birth; C alluding to Jerusalem/Zion; v. 8] before she ·feels the pain [goes into labor];
    she ·does not give birth to a son [delivers a son/child] before the pain starts.
·No one has ever [L Who has…?] heard of that happening;
    ·no one has ever [L Who has…?] seen that happen.
·In the same way no one ever saw [L Can…?] a country ·begin [be born] in one day;
    ·no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning [L can a nation be brought forth…?] in one moment.
But ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] will give birth to her children
    just as soon as she feels the birth pains [C the rebirth of the nation will be sudden and unexpected].
·In the same way I will not cause pain [L Will I bring one to the moment of birth…?]
    without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord.
“If I cause you ·the pain [to deliver],
    ·I will not stop you from giving birth to your new nation [L will I (now) close the womb?],” says your God.
10 “·Jerusalem, rejoice [or Rejoice with Jerusalem].
    All you people who love Jerusalem, be ·happy [glad for/with her].
Those of you who ·felt sad [mourned] for Jerusalem
    should now ·feel happy [L rejoice with joy] with her.
11 You will ·take comfort from her [L nurse] and be satisfied,
    ·as a child is nursed by its mother [L at her comforting breasts].
You will ·receive her good things [L drink deeply]
    ·and enjoy her wealth [from her glorious abundance].”

12 This is what the Lord says:

“I will give her peace that will flow to her like a river.
    The ·wealth [glory] of the nations will come to her like a ·river overflowing its banks [flood].
·Like babies you will [L You will] be nursed and held in ·my [L her] arms
    and bounced on ·my [L her] knees.
13 I will comfort you
    as a mother comforts her child.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 When you see these things, ·you [L your heart] will ·be happy [rejoice],
    and ·you [or your bones] will ·grow [flourish] like the grass.
The Lord’s servants will see his ·power [L hand],
    but his enemies will see his ·anger [wrath].

1 John 3:4-10

·The person [L Everyone] who ·sins [commits sin] ·breaks God’s law [commits lawlessness/iniquity; C referring to the false teachers; 2:19–20]. Yes, sin is ·living against God’s law [lawlessness; iniquity]. You know that ·Christ came [L he has appeared/was revealed] to take away sins and that there is no sin in ·Christ [L him]. So anyone who ·lives [abides; remains] in ·Christ [L him] does not ·go on sinning [or sin; C the Christian ideal, an implicit call to avoid sin]. Anyone who ·goes on sinning [or sins] has ·never really understood Christ and has never known him [L neither seen him nor known him].

Dear children [2:1], do not let anyone ·lead you the wrong way [deceive you]. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as ·Christ [L he] is righteous. Anyone who ·continues to sin [or sins] belongs to the devil [John 8:44], because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. The Son of God ·came [was revealed; appeared] for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s work [Matt. 4:1–11; 12:25–29; Luke 10:18; John 12:31; Rev. 12:7–12; 20:1–3].

·Those [L All] who are ·God’s children [L born of/begotten by God; 2:29] do not ·continue sinning [or sin], because ·the new life from God [or God’s message; or God’s Spirit; L his seed/sperm] ·remains [abides] in them. They are not able to ·go on sinning [or sin], because they ·have become children of God [L are born of/begotten by God]. 10 ·So we can see [L In this way it is apparent/revealed/evident] who God’s children are and who the devil’s children are: Those who do not ·do what is right [practice righteousness] are not ·God’s children [L from/of God], and those who do not love their brothers and sisters are not ·God’s children [L from/of God].

John 10:7-16

Jesus Is the Good Shepherd

So Jesus said again, “·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], I am the ·door [gate] for the sheep. [C Jesus now refers to himself as the door rather than the shepherd.] All the people who came before me were thieves and robbers [C others who claimed to be the Messiah]. The sheep did not listen to them. I am the ·door [gate], and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out and find pasture [compare Ps. 118:20]. 10 A thief comes [L only] to steal and kill and destroy, but I came ·to give life [L that they might have life]—life in all its ·fullness [abundance].

11 “I am the good shepherd [contrast Zech. 11:17]. The good shepherd ·gives [lays down] his life for the sheep. 12 The ·worker who is paid to keep the sheep [L hired hand] is different from the shepherd who owns them. When the worker sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf ·attacks [or snatches; seizes] the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs away because he is only a ·paid worker [hired hand] and does not really care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my ·sheep [L own], and my ·sheep [L own] know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I ·give [lay down] my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this ·flock [fold; pen; C a reference to future Gentile followers of Christ], and I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

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