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A lectionary is a listing that contains a collection of
readings for Christian worship or study.
This daily lectionary dates back to at least the 1549 Anglican
prayer book. Over the years changes have been made to provide
for more coherent reading of the bible. The version used for
the daily mailings is based on the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) used
in the Episcopal Church of the United States. The lectionary is
arranged in a two year cycle, where the New Testament is read
yearly and the Old Testament once every two years. For consistency
with the notation of the BCP the New Revised Standard Version of the
bible is utilized.
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Monday 18 July 2005
DAILY LECTIONARY
www.dailylectionary.org
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Old Testament: 1 Sam 24:1-22
1When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, "David
is in the wilderness of En-gedi." 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen
men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the
direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3He came to the sheepfolds
beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve
himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the
cave. 4The men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the LORD
said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to
him as it seems good to you.'" Then David went and stealthily cut off a
corner of Saul's cloak. 5Afterward David was stricken to the heart
because he had cut off a corner of Saul's cloak. 6He said to his men, "The
LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's
anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the Lord's anointed." 7So
David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul.
Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way. 8Afterwards David
also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, "My lord
the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the
ground, and did obeisance.
9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of those who say,
'David seeks to do you harm'? 10This very day your eyes have seen how
the LORD gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill
you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not raise my hand against my lord;
for he is the Lord's anointed.' 11See, my father, see the corner of
your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your
cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no
wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you
are hunting me to take my life. 12May the LORD judge between me and
you! May the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
13As the ancient proverb says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth
wickedness'; but my hand shall not be against you. 14Against whom has the king
of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea? 15May
the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you. May
he see to it, and plead my cause, and vindicate me against you."
16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is
this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17He
said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me
good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18Today you have explained how you
have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put
me into your hands. 19For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the
enemy safely away? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have
done to me this day. 20Now I know that you shall surely be king, and
that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21Swear to
me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after
me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my father's house."
22So David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men
went up to the stronghold.
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Epistle: Acts 13:44-52
44The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of
the Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with
jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul.
46Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary
that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it
and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning
to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “I have
set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation
to the ends of the earth.”’ 48When the Gentiles heard this, they were
glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined
for eternal life became believers. 49Thus the word of the Lord spread
throughout the region. 50But the Jews incited the devout women of high
standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. 51So they
shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to
Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
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Gospel: Mark 4:1-20
1Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd
gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while
the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2He began to teach them
many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3‘Listen!
A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground,
where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no
depth of soil. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it
had no root, it withered away. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the
thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8Other seed fell
into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and
yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ 9And he said, ‘Let anyone
with ears to hear listen!’
10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve
asked him about the parables. 11And he said to them, ‘To you has been
given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything
comes in parables; 12in order that
“they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.”’
13 And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how
will you understand all the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15These
are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan
immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16And
these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they
immediately receive it with joy. 17But they have no root, and endure
only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of
the word, immediately they fall away. 18And others are those sown among
the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19but the cares of
the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come
in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. 20And these are the ones
sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit,
thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’
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Morning Psalms: Ps 41, 52
Ps41
1 Happy are those who consider the poor; the LORD delivers them in the
day of trouble.
2 The LORD protects them and keeps them alive; they are called happy in
the land. You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal
all their infirmities.
4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have
sinned against you."
5 My enemies wonder in malice when I will die, and my name perish.
6 And when they come to see me, they utter empty words, while their
hearts gather mischief; when they go out, they tell it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for
me.
8 They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me, that I will not
rise again from where I lie.
9 Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has
lifted the heel against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may
repay them.
11 By this I know that you are pleased with me; because my enemy has
not triumphed over me.
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your
presence forever.
13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to
everlasting. Amen and Amen.
Ps 52
1 Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly?
All day long
2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you
worker of treachery.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth.
Selah
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from
your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer,
saying,
7 "See the one who would not take refuge in God, but trusted in
abundant riches, and sought refuge in wealth!"
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the
steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the
presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
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Evening Psalm: Ps 44
1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what
deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own
arm give them victory; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light
of your countenance, for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King and my God; you command victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down
our assailants.
6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes, and have put to confusion those
who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your
name forever. Selah
9 Yet you have rejected us and abased us, and have not gone out with
our armies.
10 You made us turn back from the foe, and our enemies have gotten
spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter, and have scattered us
among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for
them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn
of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among
the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face
16 at the words of the taunters and revilers, at the sight of the enemy
and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you, or been
false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your
way,
19 yet you have broken us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with
deep darkness.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to
a strange god,
21 would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Because of you we are being killed all day long, and accounted as
sheep for the slaughter.
23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not cast us off
forever!
24 Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and
oppression?
25 For we sink down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast
love.
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