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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
Zechariah 9:9-12

The Lord Tells about the Coming King

(A) Everyone in Jerusalem,
    celebrate and shout!
Your king has won a victory,
    and he is coming to you.
He is humble
    and rides on a donkey;
he comes on the colt
    of a donkey.
10 (B) I, the Lord, will take away
war chariots and horses
    from Israel[a] and Jerusalem.
Bows that were made for battle
    will be broken.
I will bring peace to nations,
and your king will rule
    from sea to sea.
His kingdom will reach
from the Euphrates River
    across the earth.

The Lord Promises To Rescue Captives

11 (C) When I made a sacred agreement
with you, my people,
    we sealed it with blood.[b]
Now some of you are captives
    in waterless pits,
but I will come to your rescue
12     and offer you hope.
Return to your fortress,
because today I will reward you
    with twice what you had.

Psalm 145:8-14

You are merciful, Lord!
You are kind and patient
    and always loving.
You are good to everyone,
and you take care
    of all your creation.

10 All creation will thank you,
and your loyal people
    will praise you.
11 They will tell about
your marvelous kingdom
    and your power.
12 Then everyone will know about
the mighty things you do
    and your glorious kingdom.
13 Your kingdom will never end,
    and you will rule forever.

Our Lord, you keep your word
    and do everything you say.[a]
14 When someone stumbles or falls,
    you give a helping hand.

Romans 7:15-25

15 (A) In fact, I don't understand why I act the way I do. I don't do what I know is right. I do the things I hate. 16 Although I don't do what I know is right, I agree that the Law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them.

18 I know that my selfish desires won't let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. 19 Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong. 20 And so, if I don't do what I know is right, I am no longer the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them.

21 The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. 22 With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. 23 But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. 24 What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die? 25 Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me.

So with my mind I serve the Law of God, although my selfish desires make me serve the law of sin.

Matthew 11:16-19

16 You people are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

17 “We played the flute,
    but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
    but you would not mourn!”

18 John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “That man has a demon in him!” 19 But the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, “That man eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors[a] and sinners.” Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.

Matthew 11:25-30

Come to Me and Rest

(Luke 10.21,22)

25 At that moment Jesus said:

My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. 26 Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.

27 (A) My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so they can know him too.

28 (B) If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 (C) Take the yoke[a] I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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