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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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
Version
Psalm 5

Psalm 5

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

Listen to my words, O Lord;
    attend to my sighing.(A)
Listen to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.(B)
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I plead my case to you and watch.(C)

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil will not sojourn with you.(D)
The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
    you hate all evildoers.(E)
You destroy those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.(F)

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house;
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in awe of you.(G)
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make your way straight before me.(H)

For there is no truth in their mouths;
    their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
    they flatter with their tongues.(I)
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions, cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.(J)

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
    so that those who love your name may exult in you.(K)
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover them with favor as with a shield.(L)

Proverbs 16:21-33

21 The wise of heart is called perceptive,
    and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but folly is the punishment of fools.(A)
23 The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
    but in the end it is the way to death.(B)
26 The appetite of workers works for them;
    their hunger urges them on.
27 Scoundrels concoct evil,
    and their speech is like a scorching fire.(C)
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.(D)
29 The violent entice their neighbors
    and lead them in a way that is not good.(E)
30 One who winks the eyes plans[a] perverse things;
    one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.(F)
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.(G)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but the decision is the Lord’s alone.

Matthew 15:1-9

The Tradition of the Elders

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.”(A) He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said,[a] ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’(B) But you say that whoever tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’[b] then that person need not honor the father.[c](C) So, for the sake of your tradition, you nullify the word[d] of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;(D)
in vain do they worship me,
    teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ ”(E)

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.