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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.
Duration: 1245 days
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Version
Psalm 139:1-12

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

The Lord Is Always Near

You have looked deep
into my heart, Lord,
    and you know all about me.
You know when I am resting
    or when I am working,
and from heaven
    you discover my thoughts.

You notice everything I do
    and everywhere I go.
Before I even speak a word,
    you know what I will say,
and with your powerful arm
you protect me
    from every side.
I can't understand all of this!
Such wonderful knowledge
    is far above me.

Where could I go to escape
from your Spirit
    or from your sight?
If I were to climb up
to the highest heavens,
    you would be there.
If I were to dig down
to the world of the dead
    you would also be there.

Suppose I had wings
like the dawning day
    and flew across the ocean.
10 Even then your powerful arm
    would guide and protect me.
11 Or suppose I said, “I'll hide
in the dark until night comes
    to cover me over.”
12 But you see in the dark
because daylight and dark
    are all the same to you.

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Look deep into my heart, God,
and find out everything
    I am thinking.
24 Don't let me follow evil ways,
but lead me in the way
    that time has proven true.

Isaiah 44:1-5

The Lord's Promise to Israel

44 People of Israel,
I have chosen you
    as my servant.
I am your Creator.
You were in my care
    even before you were born.
Israel, don't be terrified!
You are my chosen servant,
    my very favorite.[a]

I will bless the thirsty land
    by sending streams of water;
I will bless your descendants
    by giving them my Spirit.
They will spring up like grass[b]
or like willow trees
    near flowing streams.
They will worship me
    and become my people.
They will write my name
    on the back of their hands.[c]

Hebrews 2:1-9

This Great Way of Being Saved

We must give our full attention to what we were told, so we won't drift away. The message spoken by angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were punished as they deserved. So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true. God himself showed that his message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and wonders. He also gave his Holy Spirit to anyone he chose to.

The One Who Leads Us To Be Saved

We know that God did not put the future world under the power of angels. (A) Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God,

“What makes you care
    about us humans?
Why are you concerned
    for weaklings such as we?
You made us lower
than the angels
    for a while.
Yet you have crowned us
    with glory and honor.[a]
And you have put everything
    under our power!”

God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of our power. But we still don't see it all under our control. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels. Because of God's gift of undeserved grace, Jesus died for everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he is crowned with glory and honor!

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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