Friday 26 October 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 26 October 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ezra 3:1-13

When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in the towns, the
people gathered together in Jerusalem. 2Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, with
his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out
to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings on it,
as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. 3They set up the altar
on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighbouring
peoples, and they offered burnt-offerings upon it to the Lord, morning
and evening. 4And they kept the festival of booths,* as prescribed, and
offered the daily burnt-offerings by number according to the ordinance,
as required for each day, 5and after that the regular burnt-offerings,
the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the
Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill-offering to the
Lord. 6From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer
burnt-offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the
Lord was not yet laid. 7So they gave money to the masons and the
carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to
bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the
grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia. 
Foundations Laid for the Temple8 In the second year after their arrival
at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of
Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the
rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come
to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty
years old and upwards, to have the oversight of the work on the house of
the Lord. 9And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his
sons, Binnui and Hodaviah* along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites,
their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of
God. 
10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the
priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with
trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to
the directions of King David of Israel; 11and they sang responsively,
praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
'For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever towards Israel.'
And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the
Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12But
many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who
had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when
they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13so that the
people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the
sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the
sound was heard far away.
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1 Corinthians 16:10-24

If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is
doing the work of the Lord just as I am; 11therefore let no one despise
him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I am
expecting him with the brothers. 
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you
with the other brothers, but he was not at all willing* to come now. He
will come when he has the opportunity. 
Final Messages and Greetings13 Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be
courageous, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love. 
15 Now, brothers and sisters,* you know that members of the household of
Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted
themselves to the service of the saints; 16I urge you to put yourselves
at the service of such people, and of everyone who works and toils with
them. 17I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and
Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; 18for they
refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such
people. 
19 The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with
the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord. 20All the
brothers and sisters* send greetings. Greet one another with a holy
kiss. 


21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22Let anyone be
accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come!* 23The grace of
the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love be with all of you in Christ
Jesus.*
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Matthew 12:22-32

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured
him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. 23All the
crowds were amazed and said, 'Can this be the Son of David?' 24But when
the Pharisees heard it, they said, 'It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler
of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons.' 25He knew what
they were thinking and said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against
itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will
stand. 26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how
then will his kingdom stand? 27If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by
whom do your own exorcists* cast them out? Therefore they will be your
judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then
the kingdom of God has come to you. 29Or how can one enter a strong
man's house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong
man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. 30Whoever is not with me is
against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31Therefore I
tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but
blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Whoever speaks a
word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against
the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age
to come.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 31

Psalm 31

In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
   do not let me ever be put to shame;
   in your righteousness deliver me. 
2Incline your ear to me;
   rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
   a strong fortress to save me. 


3You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
   for your name's sake lead me and guide me, 
4take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
   for you are my refuge. 
5Into your hand I commit my spirit;
   you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 


6You hate* those who pay regard to worthless idols,
   but I trust in the Lord. 
7I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
   because you have seen my affliction;
   you have taken heed of my adversities, 
8and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
   you have set my feet in a broad place. 


9Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
   my eye wastes away from grief,
   my soul and body also. 
10For my life is spent with sorrow,
   and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,*
   and my bones waste away. 


11I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
   a horror* to my neighbours,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
   those who see me in the street flee from me. 
12I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
   I have become like a broken vessel. 
13For I hear the whispering of many-
   terror all around!-
as they scheme together against me,
   as they plot to take my life. 


14But I trust in you, O Lord;
   I say, 'You are my God.' 
15My times are in your hand;
   deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. 
16Let your face shine upon your servant;
   save me in your steadfast love. 
17Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord,
   for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
   let them go dumbfounded to Sheol. 
18Let the lying lips be stilled
   that speak insolently against the righteous
   with pride and contempt. 


19O how abundant is your goodness
   that you have laid up for those who fear you,
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
   in the sight of everyone! 
20In the shelter of your presence you hide them
   from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
   from contentious tongues. 


21Blessed be the Lord,
   for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
   when I was beset as a city under siege. 
22I had said in my alarm,
   'I am driven far* from your sight.'
But you heard my supplications
   when I cried out to you for help. 


23Love the Lord, all you his saints.
   The Lord preserves the faithful,
   but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily. 
24Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
   all you who wait for the Lord.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 35

Psalm 35

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
   fight against those who fight against me! 
2Take hold of shield and buckler,
   and rise up to help me! 
3Draw the spear and javelin
   against my pursuers;
say to my soul,
   'I am your salvation.' 


4Let them be put to shame and dishonour
   who seek after my life.
Let them be turned back and confounded
   who devise evil against me. 
5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
   with the angel of the Lord driving them on. 
6Let their way be dark and slippery,
   with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 


7For without cause they hid their net* for me;
   without cause they dug a pit* for my life. 
8Let ruin come on them unawares.
And let the net that they hid ensnare them;
   let them fall in it-to their ruin. 


9Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,
   exulting in his deliverance. 
10All my bones shall say,
   'O Lord, who is like you?
You deliver the weak
   from those too strong for them,
   the weak and needy from those who despoil them.' 


11Malicious witnesses rise up;
   they ask me about things I do not know. 
12They repay me evil for good;
   my soul is forlorn. 
13But as for me, when they were sick,
   I wore sackcloth;
   I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowed* on my bosom, 
14   as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;
I went about as one who laments for a mother,
   bowed down and in mourning. 


15But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,
   they gathered together against me;
ruffians whom I did not know
   tore at me without ceasing; 
16they impiously mocked more and more,*
   gnashing at me with their teeth. 


17How long, O Lord, will you look on?
   Rescue me from their ravages,
   my life from the lions! 
18Then I will thank you in the great congregation;
   in the mighty throng I will praise you. 


19Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me,
   or those who hate me without cause wink the eye. 
20For they do not speak peace,
   but they conceive deceitful words
   against those who are quiet in the land. 
21They open wide their mouths against me;
   they say, 'Aha, Aha,
   our eyes have seen it.' 


22You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent!
   O Lord, do not be far from me! 
23Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defence,
   for my cause, my God and my Lord! 
24Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
   according to your righteousness,
   and do not let them rejoice over me. 
25Do not let them say to themselves,
   'Aha, we have our heart's desire.'
Do not let them say, 'We have swallowed you* up.' 


26Let all those who rejoice at my calamity
   be put to shame and confusion;
let those who exalt themselves against me
   be clothed with shame and dishonour. 


27Let those who desire my vindication
   shout for joy and be glad,
   and say evermore,
'Great is the Lord,
   who delights in the welfare of his servant.' 
28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
   and of your praise all day long.
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