Daily Readings
The Scripture readings appointed for the day, with the full text in your language. Follow the daily readings for your tradition, every morning, in the Bosko app.
Morning Prayer — First Lesson
Sirach 39
Not so he that has applied his soul, And meditateth in the law of the Most High; He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, And will be occupied in prophecies. He will keep the discourse of the men of renown, And will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables. He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs, And be conversant in the dark sayings of parables. He will serve among great men, And appear before him that rules: He will travel through the land of strange nations; For he has tried good things and evil among men. He will apply his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, And will make supplication before the Most High, And will open his mouth in prayer, And will make supplication for his sins. If the great Lord will, He shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: He shall pour forth the words of his wisdom, And in prayer give thanks to the Lord. He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, And in his secrets shall he meditate. He shall show forth the instruction which he has been taught, And shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord. Many shall commend his understanding; And so long as the world endures, it shall not be blotted out: His memorial shall not depart, And his name shall live from generation to generation. Nations shall declare his wisdom, And the congregation shall tell out his praise. If he continue, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: And if he die, he adds thereto. Yet more will I utter, which I have thought upon; And I am filled as the moon at the full. Hearken to me, you⌃ holy children, And bud forth as a rose growing by a brook of water: And give you⌃ a sweet savor as frankencense, And put forth flowers as a lily, Spread abroad a sweet smell, and sing a song of praise; Bless you⌃ the Lord for all his works. Magnify his name, And give utterance to his praise With the songs of your lips, and with harps; And thus shall you⌃ say when you⌃ utter his praise: All the works of the Lord are exceeding good, And every command shall be accomplished in his season. None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? For in his season they shall all be sought out. At his word the waters stood as a heap, And the receptacles of waters at the word of his mouth. At his command is all his good pleasure done; And there is none that shall hinder his salvation. The works of all flesh are before him; And it is not possible to be hid from his eyes. He sees from everlasting to everlasting; And there is nothing wonderful before him. None can say, What is this? wherefore is that? For all things are created for their uses. His blessing covered the dry land as a river, And saturated it as a flood. As he has turned the waters into saltness; So shall the heathen inherit his wrath. His ways are plain to the holy; So are they stumbling blocks to the wicked. Good things are created from the beginning for the good; So are evil things for sinners. The chief of all things necessary for the life of man Are water, and fire, and iron, and salt, And flour of wheat, and honey, and milk, The blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing. All these things are for good to the godly; So to the sinners they shall be turned into evil. There be winds that are created for vengeance, And in their fury lay on their scourges heavily; In the time of consummation they pour out their strength, And shall appease the wrath of him that made them. Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, All these are created for vengeance; Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions and adders, And a sword punishing the ungodly to destruction. They shall rejoice in his commandment, And shall be made ready upon earth, when need is; And in their seasons they shall not transgress his word. Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, And I thought this, and left it in writing; All the works of the Lord are good: And he will supply every need in its season. And none can say, This is worse than that: For they shall all be well approved in their season. And now with all your heart and mouth sing you⌃ praises, And bless the name of the Lord.
Morning Prayer — Second Lesson
John 5
After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel went down at certain times into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’” Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat and walk’?” But he who was healed didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.” The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.” For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him. “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me. “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. You don’t have his word living in you, because you don’t believe him whom he sent. “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. I don’t receive glory from men. But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Evening Prayer — First Lesson
Sirach 40
Great travail is created for every man, And a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, From the day of their coming forth from their mother’s womb, Until the day for their burial in the mother of all things. The expectation of things to come, and the day of death, Trouble their thoughts, and cause fear of heart; From him that sits on a throne of glory, Even to him that is humbled in earth and ashes; From him that wears purple and a crown, Even to him that is clothed with a hempen frock. There is wrath, and jealousy, and trouble, and disquiet, And fear of death, and anger, and strife; And in the time of rest upon his bed His night sleep does change his knowledge. A little or nothing is his resting, And afterward in his sleep, as in a day of keeping watch, He is troubled in the vision of his heart, As one that has escaped from the front of battle. In the very time of his deliverance he awakens, And marvels that the fear is nothing. It is thus with all flesh, from man to beast, And upon sinners sevenfold more. Death, and bloodshed, and strife, and sword, Calamities, famine, tribulation, and the scourge; All these things were created for the wicked, And because of them came the flood. All things that are of the earth turn to the earth again: And all things that are of the waters return into the sea. All bribery and injustice shall be blotted out; And good faith shall stand forever. The goods of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, And like a great thunder in rain shall go off in noise. In opening his hands a man shall be made glad: So shall transgressors utterly fail. The children of the ungodly shall not put forth many branches; And are as unclean roots upon a sheer rock. The sedge that grows upon every water and bank of a river Shall be plucked up before all grass. Bounty is as a garden of blessings, And almsgiving endures forever. The life of one that labores, and is contented, shall be made sweet; And he that finds a treasure is above both. Children and the building of a city establish a man’s name; And a blameless wife is counted above both. Wine and music rejoice the heart; And the love of wisdom is above both. The pipe and the lute make pleasant melody; And a pleasant tongue is above both. Your eye shall desire grace and beauty; And above both the green blade of corn. A friend and a companion never meet amiss; And a wife with her husband is above both. Brethren and succour are for a time of affliction; And almsgiving is a deliverer above both. Gold and silver will make the foot stand sure; And counsel is esteemed above them both. Riches and strength will lift up the heart; And the fear of the Lord is above both: There is nothing lacking in the fear of the Lord, And there is no need to seek help therein. The fear of the Lord is as a garden of blessing, And covers a man above all glory. My son, lead not a beggar’s life; Better it is to die than to beg. A man that looks to the table of another, His life is not to be counted for a life; He will pollute his soul with another man’s meats: But a man wise and well-instructed will beware thereof. In the mouth of the shameless begging will be sweet; And in his belly a fire shall be kindled.
Evening Prayer — Second Lesson
1 Timothy 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope; to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine, and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith— but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith, from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking, desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully, as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine, according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
Readings follow the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (public domain). Scripture text is in the public domain. (World English Bible)
Daily readings, every morning
In Bosko the day's readings are waiting for you each morning — mark each one read so you never lose your place, read them in any of 30 translations, and sit with a short reflection. Your tradition's daily readings, tracked and always in your pocket.
