Thursday 8 February 2018 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Thursday 8 February 2018 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 27:30-45

As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. He also prepared savoury food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, ‘Let my father sit up and eat of his son’s game, so that you may bless me.’ His father Isaac said to him, ‘Who are you?’ He answered, ‘I am your firstborn son, Esau.’ Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, ‘Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all* before you came, and I have blessed him?—yes, and blessed he shall be!’ When Esau heard his father’s words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me, me also, father!’ But he said, ‘Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.’ Esau said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob?* For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.’ Then he said, ‘Have you not reserved a blessing for me?’ Isaac answered Esau, ‘I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?’ Esau said to his father, ‘Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!’ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

 Then his father Isaac answered him:
‘See, away from* the fatness of the earth shall your home be,
   and away from* the dew of heaven on high. 
By your sword you shall live,
   and you shall serve your brother;
but when you break loose,*
   you shall break his yoke from your neck.’
 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, ‘Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— until your brother’s anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?’
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Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.* Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;* do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;* for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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John 8:21-32

Again he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’* They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all?* I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he,* and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 146, 147

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! 
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 


Do not put your trust in princes,
   in mortals, in whom there is no help. 
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
   on that very day their plans perish. 


Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
   whose hope is in the Lord their God, 
who made heaven and earth,
   the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever; 
   who executes justice for the oppressed;
   who gives food to the hungry. 


The Lord sets the prisoners free; 
   the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
   the Lord loves the righteous. 
The Lord watches over the strangers;
   he upholds the orphan and the widow,
   but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 


The Lord will reign for ever,
   your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!


Psalm 147

Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
   for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. 
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
   he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 
He heals the broken-hearted,
   and binds up their wounds. 
He determines the number of the stars;
   he gives to all of them their names. 
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
   his understanding is beyond measure. 
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
   he casts the wicked to the ground. 


Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
   make melody to our God on the lyre. 
He covers the heavens with clouds,
   prepares rain for the earth,
   makes grass grow on the hills. 
He gives to the animals their food,
   and to the young ravens when they cry. 
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
   nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;* 
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
   in those who hope in his steadfast love. 


Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
   Praise your God, O Zion! 
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
   he blesses your children within you. 
He grants peace* within your borders;
   he fills you with the finest of wheat. 
He sends out his command to the earth;
   his word runs swiftly. 
He gives snow like wool;
   he scatters frost like ashes. 
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
   who can stand before his cold? 
He sends out his word, and melts them;
   he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow. 
He declares his word to Jacob,
   his statutes and ordinances to Israel. 
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
   they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 85, 86

Psalm 85

Lord, you were favourable to your land;
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
   you pardoned all their sin.
          Selah 
You withdrew all your wrath;
   you turned from your hot anger. 


Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
   and put away your indignation towards us. 
Will you be angry with us for ever?
   Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 
Will you not revive us again,
   so that your people may rejoice in you? 
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
   and grant us your salvation. 


Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
   for he will speak peace to his people,
   to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.* 
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
   that his glory may dwell in our land. 


Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
   righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
   and righteousness will look down from the sky. 
The Lord will give what is good,
   and our land will yield its increase. 
Righteousness will go before him,
   and will make a path for his steps.


Psalm 86

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
   for I am poor and needy. 
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
   save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord,
   for to you do I cry all day long. 
Gladden the soul of your servant,
   for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
   abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you. 
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
   listen to my cry of supplication. 
In the day of my trouble I call on you,
   for you will answer me. 


There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
   nor are there any works like yours. 
All the nations you have made shall come
   and bow down before you, O Lord,
   and shall glorify your name. 
For you are great and do wondrous things;
   you alone are God. 
Teach me your way, O Lord,
   that I may walk in your truth;
   give me an undivided heart to revere your name. 
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
   and I will glorify your name for ever. 
For great is your steadfast love towards me;
   you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 


O God, the insolent rise up against me;
   a band of ruffians seeks my life,
   and they do not set you before them. 
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
   give your strength to your servant;
   save the child of your serving-maid. 
Show me a sign of your favour,
   so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
   because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
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