Saturday 10 February 2018 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Saturday 10 February 2018 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 29:1-20

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

 Jacob said to them, ‘My brothers, where do you come from?’ They said, ‘We are from Haran.’ He said to them, ‘Do you know Laban son of Nahor?’ They said, ‘We do.’ He said to them, ‘Is it well with him?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep.’ He said, ‘Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.’ But they said, ‘We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.’

 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob* told Laban all these things, and Laban said to him, ‘Surely you are my bone and my flesh!’ And he stayed with him for a month.
 Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?’ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely,* and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.’ Laban said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.’ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
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Romans 14:1-23

Welcome those who are weak in faith,* but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord* is able to make them stand.

 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God.

 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

 Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister?* Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?* For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.* For it is written,
‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
   and every tongue shall give praise to* God.’ 
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.*
 Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling-block or hindrance in the way of another.* I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister* is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat; it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister* stumble.* The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith;* for whatever does not proceed from faith* is sin.
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John 8:47-59

Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’

 The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’* Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 87, 90

Psalm 87

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 
   the Lord loves the gates of Zion
   more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 
Glorious things are spoken of you,
   O city of God.
          Selah 


Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
   Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia*—
   ‘This one was born there,’ they say. 


And of Zion it shall be said,
   ‘This one and that one were born in it’;
   for the Most High himself will establish it. 
The Lord records, as he registers the peoples,
   ‘This one was born there.’
          Selah 


Singers and dancers alike say,
   ‘All my springs are in you.’


Psalm 90

Lord, you have been our dwelling-place*
   in all generations. 
Before the mountains were brought forth,
   or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 


You turn us* back to dust,
   and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’ 
For a thousand years in your sight
   are like yesterday when it is past,
   or like a watch in the night. 


You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
   like grass that is renewed in the morning; 
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
   in the evening it fades and withers. 


For we are consumed by your anger;
   by your wrath we are overwhelmed. 
You have set our iniquities before you,
   our secret sins in the light of your countenance. 


For all our days pass away under your wrath;
   our years come to an end* like a sigh. 
The days of our life are seventy years,
   or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span* is only toil and trouble;
   they are soon gone, and we fly away. 


Who considers the power of your anger?
   Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due to you. 
So teach us to count our days
   that we may gain a wise heart. 


Turn, O Lord! How long?
   Have compassion on your servants! 
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   and for as many years as we have seen evil. 
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
   and your glorious power to their children. 
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands—
   O prosper the work of our hands!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 136

Psalm 136

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the God of gods,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who alone does great wonders,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who by understanding made the heavens,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who spread out the earth on the waters,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who made the great lights,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the sun to rule over the day,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and brought Israel out from among them,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who divided the Red Sea* in two,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,*
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who led his people through the wilderness,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who struck down great kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and killed famous kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and Og, king of Bashan,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and gave their land as a heritage,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
a heritage to his servant Israel,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and rescued us from our foes,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who gives food to all flesh,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


O give thanks to the God of heaven,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
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