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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.
Duration: 1245 days
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Version
Psalm 84:8-12

Lord God All-Powerful,
the God of Jacob,
    please answer my prayer!
You are the shield
    that protects your people,
and I am your chosen one.
    Won't you smile on me?

10 One day in your temple
is better than a thousand
    anywhere else.
I would rather serve
    in your house,
than live in the homes
    of the wicked.

11 Our Lord and our God,
you are like the sun
    and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness
    and with honor,
never denying any good thing
    to those who live right.

12 Lord God All-Powerful,
you bless everyone
    who trusts you.

1 Samuel 2:1-10

(A) Hannah prayed:

You make me strong
    and happy, Lord.
You rescued me.
Now I can be glad
    and laugh at my enemies.

No other god[a] is like you.
And with you we are safer
    than on a high mountain.[b]
I can tell those proud people,
    “Stop your boasting!
Nothing is hidden from the Lord,
    and he judges what we do.”

Our Lord, you break
    the bows of warriors,
but you give strength
    to everyone who stumbles.
People who once
    had plenty to eat
must now hire themselves out
    for only a piece of bread.
But you give the hungry more
    than enough to eat.
A woman did not have a child,
    and you gave her seven,
but a woman who had many
    was left with none.
(B) You take away life,
    and you give life.
You send people down
to the world of the dead
    and bring them back again.

Our Lord, you are the one
    who makes us rich or poor.
You put some in high positions
    and bring disgrace on others.
You lift the poor and homeless
    out of the garbage dump
and give them places of honor
    in royal palaces.

You set the world on foundations,
    and they belong to you.
You protect your loyal people,
but everyone who is evil
    will die in darkness.

We cannot win a victory
    by our own strength.
10 Our Lord, those who attack you
    will be broken in pieces
when you fight back
    with thunder from heaven.
You will judge the whole earth
and give power and strength
    to your chosen king.

1 Peter 4:12-19

Suffering for Being a Christian

12 Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. 13 Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.

14 Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you. 15 But you deserve to suffer if you are a murderer, a thief, a crook, or a busybody. 16 Don't be ashamed to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God that you belong to him. 17 God has already begun judging his own people. And if his judgment begins with us, imagine how terrible it will be for those who refuse to obey his message. The Scriptures say,

18 (A) “If good people barely escape,
    what will happen to sinners
and to others
    who don't respect God?”

19 If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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