Previous Prev Day Next DayNext

Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
New International Version (NIV)
Version
Psalm 146-147

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord,(A) my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;(B)
    I will sing praise(C) to my God as long as I live.(D)
Do not put your trust in princes,(E)
    in human beings,(F) who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;(G)
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.(H)
Blessed are those(I) whose help(J) is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven(K) and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful(L) forever.
He upholds(M) the cause of the oppressed(N)
    and gives food to the hungry.(O)
The Lord sets prisoners free,(P)
    the Lord gives sight(Q) to the blind,(R)
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,(S)
    the Lord loves the righteous.(T)
The Lord watches over the foreigner(U)
    and sustains the fatherless(V) and the widow,(W)
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns(X) forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.[b]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant(Y) and fitting to praise him!(Z)

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(AA)
    he gathers the exiles(AB) of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted(AC)
    and binds up their wounds.(AD)
He determines the number of the stars(AE)
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord(AF) and mighty in power;(AG)
    his understanding has no limit.(AH)
The Lord sustains the humble(AI)
    but casts the wicked(AJ) to the ground.

Sing to the Lord(AK) with grateful praise;(AL)
    make music(AM) to our God on the harp.(AN)

He covers the sky with clouds;(AO)
    he supplies the earth with rain(AP)
    and makes grass grow(AQ) on the hills.
He provides food(AR) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens(AS) when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength(AT) of the horse,(AU)
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights(AV) in those who fear him,(AW)
    who put their hope(AX) in his unfailing love.(AY)

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(AZ)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(BA)
    and blesses your people(BB) within you.
14 He grants peace(BC) to your borders
    and satisfies you(BD) with the finest of wheat.(BE)

15 He sends his command(BF) to the earth;
    his word runs(BG) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(BH) like wool
    and scatters the frost(BI) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(BJ) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(BK) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(BL) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(BM) to Jacob,(BN)
    his laws and decrees(BO) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(BP)
    they do not know(BQ) his laws.[c]

Praise the Lord.(BR)

Psalm 111-113

Psalm 111[a]

Praise the Lord.[b]

I will extol the Lord(A) with all my heart(B)
    in the council(C) of the upright and in the assembly.(D)

Great are the works(E) of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all(F) who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures(G) forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.(H)
He provides food(I) for those who fear him;(J)
    he remembers his covenant(K) forever.

He has shown his people the power of his works,(L)
    giving them the lands of other nations.(M)
The works of his hands(N) are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.(O)
They are established for ever(P) and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption(Q) for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome(R) is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord(S) is the beginning of wisdom;(T)
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.(U)
    To him belongs eternal praise.(V)

Psalm 112[c]

Praise the Lord.[d](W)

Blessed are those(X) who fear the Lord,(Y)
    who find great delight(Z) in his commands.

Their children(AA) will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches(AB) are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures(AC) forever.
Even in darkness light dawns(AD) for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.(AE)
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,(AF)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;(AG)
    they will be remembered(AH) forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast,(AI) trusting in the Lord.(AJ)
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;(AK)
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.(AL)
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,(AM)
    their righteousness endures(AN) forever;
    their horn[e] will be lifted(AO) high in honor.

10 The wicked will see(AP) and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth(AQ) and waste away;(AR)
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.(AS)

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord.[f](AT)

Praise the Lord, you his servants;(AU)
    praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be praised,(AV)
    both now and forevermore.(AW)
From the rising of the sun(AX) to the place where it sets,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord is exalted(AY) over all the nations,
    his glory above the heavens.(AZ)
Who is like the Lord our God,(BA)
    the One who sits enthroned(BB) on high,(BC)
who stoops down to look(BD)
    on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor(BE) from the dust
    and lifts the needy(BF) from the ash heap;
he seats them(BG) with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless(BH) woman in her home
    as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

Amos 1:1-5

The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,(B) when Uzziah(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam(D) son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.(E)

He said:

“The Lord roars(F) from Zion
    and thunders(G) from Jerusalem;(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
    and the top of Carmel(I) withers.”(J)

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Damascus,(K)
    even for four, I will not relent.(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
    with sledges having iron teeth,
I will send fire(M) on the house of Hazael(N)
    that will consume the fortresses(O) of Ben-Hadad.(P)
I will break down the gate(Q) of Damascus;
    I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.(R)
    The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,(S)
says the Lord.(T)

Amos 1:13-2:8

13 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Ammon,(A)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women(B) of Gilead
    in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah(C)
    that will consume(D) her fortresses
amid war cries(E) on the day of battle,
    amid violent winds(F) on a stormy day.
15 Her king[a] will go into exile,
    he and his officials together,(G)
says the Lord.(H)

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Moab,(I)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes(J)
    the bones of Edom’s king,
I will send fire on Moab
    that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.[b](K)
Moab will go down in great tumult
    amid war cries(L) and the blast of the trumpet.(M)
I will destroy her ruler(N)
    and kill all her officials with him,”(O)
says the Lord.(P)

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Judah,(Q)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law(R) of the Lord
    and have not kept his decrees,(S)
because they have been led astray(T) by false gods,[c](U)
    the gods[d] their ancestors followed,(V)
I will send fire(W) on Judah
    that will consume the fortresses(X) of Jerusalem.(Y)

Judgment on Israel

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Israel,
    even for four, I will not relent.(Z)
They sell the innocent for silver,
    and the needy for a pair of sandals.(AA)
They trample on the heads of the poor
    as on the dust of the ground
    and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
    and so profane my holy name.(AB)
They lie down beside every altar
    on garments taken in pledge.(AC)
In the house of their god
    they drink wine(AD) taken as fines.(AE)

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

The Day of the Lord

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates(A) we do not need to write to you,(B) for you know very well that the day of the Lord(C) will come like a thief in the night.(D) While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”(E) destruction will come on them suddenly,(F) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(G)

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness(H) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.(I) You are all children of the light(J) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,(K) but let us be awake(L) and sober.(M) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.(N) But since we belong to the day,(O) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,(P) and the hope of salvation(Q) as a helmet.(R) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath(S) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(T) 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.(U) 11 Therefore encourage one another(V) and build each other up,(W) just as in fact you are doing.

Luke 21:5-19

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times(A)(B)

Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another;(C) every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.(D) When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.(E) 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.(F)

12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me.(G) 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.(H) 15 For I will give you(I) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends,(J) and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me.(K) 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.(L) 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.(M)

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.