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Daily Readings For October 19

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 Saturday, October 19, 2024


Morning Psalm 56

1   Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me;
          all day long foes oppress me;
2   my enemies trample on me all day long,
          for many fight against me.
     O Most High, 3 when I am afraid,
          I put my trust in you.
4   In God, whose word I praise,
          in God I trust; I am not afraid;
          what can flesh do to me?


5   All day long they seek to injure my cause;
          all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6   They stir up strife, they lurk,
          they watch my steps.
     As they hoped to have my life,
7        so repay them for their crime;
          in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!


8   You have kept count of my tossings;
          put my tears in your bottle.
          Are they not in your record?
9   Then my enemies will retreat
          in the day when I call.
          This I know, that God is for me.
10  In God, whose word I praise,
          in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11  in God I trust; I am not afraid.
          What can a mere mortal do to me?


12  My vows to you I must perform, O God;
          I will render thank offerings to you.
13  For you have delivered my soul from death,
          and my feet from falling,
     so that I may walk before God
          in the light of life

Morning Psalm 149

1   Praise the Lord!
     Sing to the Lord a new song,
          his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2   Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
          let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3   Let them praise his name with dancing,
          making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
4   For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
          he adorns the humble with victory.
5   Let the faithful exult in glory;
          let them sing for joy on their couches.
6   Let the high praises of God be in their throats
          and two-edged swords in their hands,
7   to execute vengeance on the nations
          and punishment on the peoples,
8   to bind their kings with fetters
          and their nobles with chains of iron,
9   to execute on them the judgment decreed.
          This is glory for all his faithful ones.
     Praise the Lord!

First Reading Hosea 14:1-9

1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2Take words with you and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all guilt; accept that which is good, and we will offer the fruit of our lips. 3Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy." 4I will heal their disloyalty; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. 5I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon. 6His shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like that of Lebanon. 7They shall again live beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom like the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

8O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; your faithfulness comes from me. 9Those who are wise understand these things; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Second Reading Acts 28:17-31

17Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18When they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor - even though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 20For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." 21They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against."

23After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. 25So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 26'Go to this people and say, You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. 27For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn - and I would heal them.' 28Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."

29, 30He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Gospel Reading Luke 9:37-50

37On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." 41Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44"Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands." 45But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

46An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. 47But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest."

49John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." 50But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you."

Evening Psalm 118

1   O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
          his steadfast love endures forever!


2   Let Israel say,
          “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3   Let the house of Aaron say,
          “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4   Let those who fear the LORD say,
          “His steadfast love endures forever.”


5   Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
          the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6   With the LORD on my side I do not fear.
          What can mortals do to me?
7   The LORD is on my side to help me;
          I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8   It is better to take refuge in the LORD
          than to put confidence in mortals.
9   It is better to take refuge in the LORD
          than to put confidence in princes.


10  All nations surrounded me;
          in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11  They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
          in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12  They surrounded me like bees;
          they blazed like a fire of thorns;
          in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13  I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
          but the LORD helped me.
14  The LORD is my strength and my might;
          he has become my salvation.


15  There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
     “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16       the right hand of the LORD is exalted;
          the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17  I shall not die, but I shall live,
          and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18  The LORD has punished me severely,
          but he did not give me over to death.


19  Open to me the gates of righteousness,
          that I may enter through them
          and give thanks to the LORD.


20  This is the gate of the LORD;
          the righteous shall enter through it.


21  I thank you that you have answered me
          and have become my salvation.
22  The stone that the builders rejected
          has become the chief cornerstone.
23  This is the LORD’s doing;
          it is marvelous in our eyes.
24  This is the day that the LORD has made;
          let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25  Save us, we beseech you, O LORD!
          O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!


26  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
          We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27  The LORD is God,
          and he has given us light.
     Bind the festal procession with branches,
          up to the horns of the altar.


28  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
          you are my God, I will extol you.


29  O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
          for his steadfast love endures forever.

Evening Psalm 111

1   Praise the LORD!
     I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
          in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2   Great are the works of the LORD,
          studied by all who delight in them.
3   Full of honor and majesty is his work,
          and his righteousness endures forever.
4   He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
          the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5   He provides food for those who fear him;
          he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6   He has shown his people the power of his works,
          in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;
          all his precepts are trustworthy.
8   They are established forever and ever,
          to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9   He sent redemption to his people;
          he has commanded his covenant forever.
          Holy and awesome is his name.
10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
          all those who practice it have a good understanding.
          His praise endures forever.