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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 143

(A psalm by David.)

A Prayer in Time of Danger

Listen, Lord, as I pray!
You are faithful and honest
    and will answer my prayer.
(A) I am your servant.
    Don't try me in your court,
because no one is innocent
    by your standards.
My enemies are chasing me,
    crushing me in the ground.
I am in total darkness,
    like someone long dead.
I have given up hope,
    and I feel numb all over.

I remember to think about
the many things you did
    in years gone by.
Then I lift my hands in prayer,
because my soul is a desert,
    thirsty for water from you.

Please hurry, Lord,
and answer my prayer.
    I feel hopeless.
Don't turn away
    and leave me here to die.
Each morning let me learn
more about your love
    because I trust you.
I come to you in prayer,
    asking for your guidance.

Please rescue me
from my enemies, Lord!
    I come to you for safety.[a]
10 You are my God. Show me
    what you want me to do,
and let your gentle Spirit
    lead me in the right path.

11 Be true to your name, Lord,
    and keep my life safe.
Use your saving power
    to protect me from trouble.
12 I am your servant.
Show how much you love me
    by destroying my enemies.

1 Kings 17:17-24

Elijah Brings a Boy Back to Life

17 Several days later, the son of the woman who owned the house[a] got sick, and he kept getting worse, until finally he died.

18 The woman shouted at Elijah, “What have I done to you? I thought you were God's prophet. Did you come here to cause the death of my son as a reminder that I've sinned against God?”[b]

19 “Bring me your son,” Elijah said. Then he took the boy from her arms and carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying. Elijah laid the boy on his bed 20 and prayed, “Lord God, why did you do such a terrible thing to this woman? She's letting me stay here, and now you've let her son die.” 21 (A) Elijah stretched himself out over the boy three times, while praying, “Lord God, bring this boy back to life!”

22 The Lord answered Elijah's prayer, and the boy started breathing again. 23 Elijah picked him up and carried him downstairs. He gave the boy to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive.”

24 “You are God's prophet!” the woman replied. “Now I know that you really do speak for the Lord.”

Acts 20:7-12

Paul's Last Visit to Troas

On the first day of the week[a] we met to break bread together.[b] Paul spoke to the people until midnight because he was leaving the next morning. In the upstairs room where we were meeting, there were a lot of lamps. A young man by the name of Eutychus was sitting on a window sill. While Paul was speaking, the young man got very sleepy. Finally, he went to sleep and fell three floors all the way down to the ground. When they picked him up, he was dead.

10 Paul went down and bent over Eutychus. He took him in his arms and said, “Don't worry! He's alive.” 11 After Paul had gone back upstairs, he broke bread, and ate with us. He then spoke until dawn and left. 12 Then the followers took the young man home alive and were very happy.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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