Sunday 8 August 2021 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 8 August 2021 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Samuel 13:1-22

Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose
name was Tamar; and David’s son Amnon fell in love with her. Amnon
was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar,
for she was a virgin and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything
to her. But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of
David’s brother Shimeah; and Jonadab was a very crafty man. He said
to him, ‘O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after
morning? Will you not tell me?’ Amnon said to him, ‘I love Tamar,
my brother Absalom’s sister.’ Jonadab said to him, ‘Lie down on
your bed, and pretend to be ill; and when your father comes to see
you, say to him, “Let my sister Tamar come and give me something to
eat, and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it
from her hand.” ’ So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be ill; and
when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, ‘Please let
my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I
may eat from her hand.’

 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, ‘Go to your brother
Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.’ So Tamar went to her
brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough,
kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. Then she
took the pan and set them* out before him, but he refused to eat.
Amnon said, ‘Send out everyone from me.’ So everyone went out from
him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food into the chamber, so
that I may eat from your hand.’ So Tamar took the cakes she had
made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. But when
she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to
her, ‘Come, lie with me, my sister.’ She answered him, ‘No, my
brother, do not force me; for such a thing is not done in Israel; do
not do anything so vile! As for me, where could I carry my shame? And
as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now
therefore, I beg you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me
from you.’ But he would not listen to her; and being stronger than
she was, he forced her and lay with her.

 Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed,
his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon
said to her, ‘Get out!’ But she said to him, ‘No, my brother;*
for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you
did to me.’ But he would not listen to her. He called the young man
who served him and said, ‘Put this woman out of my presence, and
bolt the door after her.’ (Now she was wearing a long robe with
sleeves; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed
in earlier times.*) So his servant put her out, and bolted the door
after her. But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe
that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head, and went away,
crying aloud as she went.

 Her brother Absalom said to her, ‘Has Amnon your brother been with
you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this
to heart.’ So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother
Absalom’s house. When King David heard of all these things, he
became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon, because he
loved him, for he was his firstborn.* But Absalom spoke to Amnon
neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped
his sister Tamar.
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Romans 15:1-13

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and
not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbour for the
good purpose of building up the neighbour. For Christ did not please
himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was
written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the
encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of
steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one
another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may
with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for
the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of
the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might
confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the
Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess* you among the Gentiles,
   and sing praises to your name’; 
and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; 
and again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
   and let all the peoples praise him’; 
and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come,
   the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ 
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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John 3:22-36

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside,
and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was
baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and
people kept coming and were being baptized— John, of course, had not
yet been thrown into prison.

 Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples
and a Jew.* They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who
was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is
baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can
receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You
yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah,* but
I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the
bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy
has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’*

 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the
earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one
who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen
and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his
testimony has certified* this, that God is true. He whom God has sent
speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The
Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever
believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will
not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 66, 67

Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 
   sing the glory of his name;
   give to him glorious praise. 
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
   Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. 
All the earth worships you;
   they sing praises to you,
   sing praises to your name.’
          Selah 

Come and see what God has done:
   he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. 
He turned the sea into dry land;
   they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him, 
   who rules by his might for ever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
   let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
          Selah 

Bless our God, O peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard, 
who has kept us among the living,
   and has not let our feet slip. 
For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried. 
You brought us into the net;
   you laid burdens on our backs; 
you let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.* 

I will come into your house with burnt-offerings;
   I will pay you my vows, 
those that my lips uttered
   and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 
I will offer to you burnt-offerings of fatlings,
   with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
          Selah 

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for me. 
I cried aloud to him,
   and he was extolled with my tongue. 
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
   the Lord would not have listened. 
But truly God has listened;
   he has given heed to the words of my prayer. 

Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me.

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
   and make his face to shine upon us,
          Selah 
that your way may be known upon earth,
   your saving power among all nations. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.
          Selah 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

The earth has yielded its increase;
   God, our God, has blessed us. 
May God continue to bless us;
   let all the ends of the earth revere him.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 19, 46

Psalm 19

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament* proclaims his handiwork. 
Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge. 
There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard; 
yet their voice* goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world. 

In the heavens* he has set a tent for the sun, 
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat. 

The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple; 
the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes; 
the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb. 

Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward. 
But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults. 
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;*
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present* help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 
though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
          Selah 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High. 
God is in the midst of the city;* it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns. 
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
   he utters his voice, the earth melts. 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah 

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
   see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
   he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire. 
‘Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.’ 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah
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