Saturday 20 October 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 20 October 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Kings 25:8-12,22-26

In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month-which was the
nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon-Nebuzaradan, the
captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to
Jerusalem. 9He burned the house of the Lord, the king's house, and all
the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10All the
army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down
the walls around Jerusalem. 11Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
carried into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city and
the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon-all the rest of
the population. 12But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest
people of the land to be vine-dressers and tillers of the soil. 
Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah22 He appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam
son of Shaphan as governor over the people who remained in the land of
Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left. 23Now when all the
captains of the forces and their men heard that the king of Babylon had
appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at
Mizpah, namely, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah
son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite.
24Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, 'Do not be afraid
because of the Chaldean officials; live in the land, serve the king of
Babylon, and it shall be well with you.' 25But in the seventh month,
Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with
ten men; they struck down Gedaliah so that he died, along with the
Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26Then all the
people, high and low,* and the captains of the forces, set out and went
to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
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1 Corinthians 15:12-29

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you
say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection
of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not
been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has
been in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we
testified of God that he raised Christ-whom he did not raise if it is
true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised,
then Christ has not been raised. 17If Christ has not been raised, your
faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who
have died* in Christ have perished. 19If for this life only we have
hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have died.* 21For since death came through a human being, the
resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22for as
all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23But each in his
own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong
to Christ. 24Then comes the end,* when he hands over the kingdom to God
the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and
power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his
feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For 'God* has put all
things in subjection under his feet.' But when it says, 'All things are
put in subjection', it is plain that this does not include the one who
put all things in subjection under him. 28When all things are subjected
to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put
all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. 
29 Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of
the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on
their behalf?
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Matthew 11:7-15

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: 'What
did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the
wind? 8What then did you go out to see? Someone* dressed in soft robes?
Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9What then did you
go out to see? A prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10This is the one about whom it is written,
"See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way before you." 
11Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater
than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater
than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of
heaven has suffered violence,* and the violent take it by force. 13For
all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; 14and if you
are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15Let anyone with
ears* listen!
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 20, 21:1-14

Psalm 20

The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
   The name of the God of Jacob protect you! 
2May he send you help from the sanctuary,
   and give you support from Zion. 
3May he remember all your offerings,
   and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices.
          Selah 


4May he grant you your heart's desire,
   and fulfil all your plans. 
5May we shout for joy over your victory,
   and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfil all your petitions. 


6Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
   he will answer him from his holy heaven
   with mighty victories by his right hand. 
7Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
   but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God. 
8They will collapse and fall,
   but we shall rise and stand upright. 


9Give victory to the king, O Lord;
   answer us when we call.*



Psalm 21:1-14

In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord,
   and in your help how greatly he exults! 
2You have given him his heart's desire,
   and have not withheld the request of his lips.
          Selah 
3For you meet him with rich blessings;
   you set a crown of fine gold on his head. 
4He asked you for life; you gave it to him-
   length of days for ever and ever. 
5His glory is great through your help;
   splendour and majesty you bestow on him. 
6You bestow on him blessings for ever;
   you make him glad with the joy of your presence. 
7For the king trusts in the Lord,
   and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be
moved.


8Your hand will find out all your enemies;
   your right hand will find out those who hate you. 
9You will make them like a fiery furnace
   when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
   and fire will consume them. 
10You will destroy their offspring from the earth,
   and their children from among humankind. 
11If they plan evil against you,
   if they devise mischief, they will not succeed. 
12For you will put them to flight;
   you will aim at their faces with your bows. 


13Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
   We will sing and praise your power.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 110:1-7, 116, 117

Psalm 110:1-7

The Lord says to my lord,
   'Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool.' 


2The Lord sends out from Zion
   your mighty sceptre.
   Rule in the midst of your foes. 
3Your people will offer themselves willingly
   on the day you lead your forces
   on the holy mountains.*
>From the womb of the morning,
   like dew, your youth* will come to you. 
4The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
   'You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.'* 


5The Lord is at your right hand;
   he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 
6He will execute judgement among the nations,
   filling them with corpses;
he will shatter heads
   over the wide earth. 
7He will drink from the stream by the path;
   therefore he will lift up his head.



Psalm 116

I love the Lord, because he has heard
   my voice and my supplications. 
2Because he inclined his ear to me,
   therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 
3The snares of death encompassed me;
   the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
   I suffered distress and anguish. 
4Then I called on the name of the Lord:
   'O Lord, I pray, save my life!' 


5Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
   our God is merciful. 
6The Lord protects the simple;
   when I was brought low, he saved me. 
7Return, O my soul, to your rest,
   for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 


8For you have delivered my soul from death,
   my eyes from tears,
   my feet from stumbling. 
9I walk before the Lord
   in the land of the living. 
10I kept my faith, even when I said,
   'I am greatly afflicted'; 
11I said in my consternation,
   'Everyone is a liar.' 


12What shall I return to the Lord
   for all his bounty to me? 
13I will lift up the cup of salvation
   and call on the name of the Lord, 
14I will pay my vows to the Lord
   in the presence of all his people. 
15Precious in the sight of the Lord
   is the death of his faithful ones. 
16O Lord, I am your servant;
   I am your servant, the child of your serving-maid.
   You have loosed my bonds. 
17I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
   and call on the name of the Lord. 
18I will pay my vows to the Lord
   in the presence of all his people, 
19in the courts of the house of the Lord,
   in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!



Psalm 117

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
   Extol him, all you peoples! 
2For great is his steadfast love towards us,
   and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Praise the Lord!
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