Friday 12 October 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 12 October 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Kings 23:36-24:17

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned
for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah daughter of
Pedaiah of Rumah. 37He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just
as all his ancestors had done. 
Judah Overrun by Enemies24In his days King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
came up; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned
and rebelled against him. 2The Lord sent against him bands of the
Chaldeans, bands of the Arameans, bands of the Moabites, and bands of
the Ammonites; he sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to
the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3Surely
this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of
his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, for all that he had committed, 4and
also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem
with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to pardon. 5Now the
rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not
written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 6So Jehoiakim
slept with his ancestors; then his son Jehoiachin succeeded him. 7The
king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of
Babylon had taken over all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the
Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates. 
Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old
when he began to reign; he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His
mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9He did
what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his father had done. 
10 At that time the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up
to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it; 12King
Jehoiachin of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself, his
mother, his servants, his officers, and his palace officials. The king
of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign. 
Capture of Jerusalem13 He carried off all the treasures of the house of
the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he cut in pieces all
the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, which King Solomon of
Israel had made, all this as the Lord had foretold. 14He carried away
all Jerusalem, all the officials, all the warriors, ten thousand
captives, all the artisans and the smiths; no one remained, except the
poorest people of the land. 15He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; the
king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the elite of the
land, he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16The king of
Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valour, seven
thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong
and fit for war. 17The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's
uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
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1 Corinthians 12:12-26

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of
the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in the
one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or
free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the
foot were to say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the
body', that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the
ear were to say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body',
that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17If the whole body
were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing,
where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the
members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a
single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many
members, yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need
of you', nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' 22On
the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, 23and those members of the body that we think less
honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable
members are treated with greater respect; 24whereas our more respectable
members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the
greater honour to the inferior member, 25that there may be no dissension
within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.
26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is
honoured, all rejoice together with it.
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Matthew 9:27-34

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly,
'Have mercy on us, Son of David!' 28When he entered the house, the blind
men came to him; and Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able
to do this?' They said to him, 'Yes, Lord.' 29Then he touched their eyes
and said, 'According to your faith let it be done to you.' 30And their
eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, 'See that no one
knows of this.' 31But they went away and spread the news about him
throughout that district. 
Jesus Heals One Who Was Mute32 After they had gone away, a demoniac who
was mute was brought to him. 33And when the demon had been cast out, the
one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, 'Never
has anything like this been seen in Israel.' 34But the Pharisees said,
'By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.'* 
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 140, 142

Psalm 140

Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
   protect me from those who are violent, 
2who plan evil things in their minds
   and stir up wars continually. 
3They make their tongue sharp as a snake's,
   and under their lips is the venom of vipers.
          Selah 


4Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
   protect me from the violent
   who have planned my downfall. 
5The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
   and with cords they have spread a net;*
   along the road they have set snares for me.
          Selah 


6I say to the Lord, 'You are my God;
   give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.' 
7O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
   you have covered my head in the day of battle. 
8Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
   do not further their evil plot.*
          Selah 


9Those who surround me lift up their heads;*
   let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 
10Let burning coals fall on them!
   Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise! 
11Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
   let evil speedily hunt down the violent! 


12I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
   and executes justice for the poor. 
13Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
   the upright shall live in your presence.



Psalm 142

With my voice I cry to the Lord;
   with my voice I make supplication to the Lord. 
2I pour out my complaint before him;
   I tell my trouble before him. 
3When my spirit is faint,
   you know my way. 


In the path where I walk
   they have hidden a trap for me. 
4Look on my right hand and see-
   there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
   no one cares for me. 


5I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, 'You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.' 
6Give heed to my cry,
   for I am brought very low. 


Save me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me. 
7Bring me out of prison,
   so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 141, 143:1-12

Psalm 141

I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
   give ear to my voice when I call to you. 
2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 


3Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
   keep watch over the door of my lips. 
4Do not turn my heart to any evil,
   to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
   do not let me eat of their delicacies. 


5Let the righteous strike me;
   let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,*
   for my prayer is continually* against their wicked deeds. 
6When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
   then they shall learn that my words were pleasant. 
7Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
   so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.* 


8But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
   in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless. 
9Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
   and from the snares of evildoers. 
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
   while I alone escape.



Psalm 143:1-12

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
   give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
   answer me in your righteousness. 
2Do not enter into judgement with your servant,
   for no one living is righteous before you. 


3For the enemy has pursued me,
   crushing my life to the ground,
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead. 
4Therefore my spirit faints within me;
   my heart within me is appalled. 


5I remember the days of old,
   I think about all your deeds,
   I meditate on the works of your hands. 
6I stretch out my hands to you;
   my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
          Selah 


7Answer me quickly, O Lord;
   my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
   or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 
8Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul. 


9Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
   I have fled to you for refuge.* 
10Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
   on a level path. 


11For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
   In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. 
12In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
   and destroy all my adversaries,
   for I am your servant.
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