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Daily Readings For May 25

Please note that two distinct lectionaries are provided on this page: the two-year Daily Lectionary from the Book of Common Worship and the three-year Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) for Sundays and festivals; be sure you select the appropriate one.

Daily Readings Sunday/Festival Readings

Daily Readings for Thursday, May 25, 2023


Morning Psalm 47

1   Clap your hands, all you peoples;
          shout to God with loud songs of joy.
2   For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,
          a great king over all the earth.
3   He subdued peoples under us,
          and nations under our feet.
4   He chose our heritage for us,
          the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah


5   God has gone up with a shout,
          the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6   Sing praises to God, sing praises;
          sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7   For God is the king of all the earth;
          sing praises with a psalm.


8   God is king over the nations;
          God sits on his holy throne.
9   The princes of the peoples gather
          as the people of the God of Abraham.
     For the shields of the earth belong to God;
          he is highly exalted.

Morning Psalm 147:12-20

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

First Reading Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? 3As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

19Yet you say, “Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.

21But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 22None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? 24But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.

25Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live.

Second Reading Hebrews 7:18-28

18There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual 19(for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.

20This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath, 21but this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him,
     “The Lord has sworn
          and will not change his mind,
     ‘You are a priest for ever’” —
22accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. 25Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Gospel Reading Luke 10:25-37

25Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Evening Psalm 68

1   Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
          let those who hate him flee before him.
2   As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
          as wax melts before the fire,
          let the wicked perish before God.
3   But let the righteous be joyful;
          let them exult before God;
          let them be jubilant with joy.

4   Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
          lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds —
     his name is the LORD —
          be exultant before him.

5   Father of orphans and protector of widows
          is God in his holy habitation.
6   God gives the desolate a home to live in;
          he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
          but the rebellious live in a parched land.

7   O God, when you went out before your people,
          when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8   the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
          at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
          at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9   Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
          you restored your heritage when it languished;
10  your flock found a dwelling in it;
          in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

11  The Lord gives the command;
          great is the company of those who bore the tidings
12       “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
     The women at home divide the spoil,
13       though they stay among the sheepfolds —
     the wings of a dove covered with silver,
          its pinions with green gold.
14  When the Almighty scattered kings there,
          snow fell on Zalmon.

15  O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
          O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16  Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
          at the mount that God desired for his abode,
          where the LORD will reside for ever?

17  With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
          thousands upon thousands,
          the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
18  You ascended the high mount,
          leading captives in your train
          and receiving gifts from people,
     even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there.
19  Blessed be the Lord,
          who daily bears us up;
          God is our salvation. Selah
20  Our God is a God of salvation,
          and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

21  But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
          the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22  The Lord said,
          “I will bring them back from Bashan,
     I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23  so that you may bathe your feet in blood,
          so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”

24  Your solemn processions are seen, O God,
          the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary —
25  the singers in front, the musicians last,
          between them girls playing tambourines:

26  “Bless God in the great congregation,
          the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27  There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
          the princes of Judah in a body,
          the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28  Summon your might, O God;
          show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29  Because of your temple at Jerusalem
          kings bear gifts to you.
30  Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
          the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
     Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;
          scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31  Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
          let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God.

32  Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
          sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33  O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
          listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34  Ascribe power to God,
          whose majesty is over Israel;
          and whose power is in the skies.
35  Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
          the God of Israel;
          he gives power and strength to his people.

     Blessed be God!

Evening Psalm 113

1   Praise the LORD!
     Praise, O servants of the LORD;
          praise the name of the LORD.


2   Blessed be the name of the LORD
          from this time on and forevermore.
3   From the rising of the sun to its setting
          the name of the LORD is to be praised.
4   The LORD is high above all nations,
          and his glory above the heavens.


5   Who is like the LORD our God,
          who is seated on high,
6   who looks far down
          on the heavens and the earth?

7   He raises the poor from the dust,
          and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8   to make them sit with princes,
          with the princes of his people.
9   He gives the barren woman a home,
          making her the joyous mother of children.
     Praise the LORD!