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
Contend not with a mighty man, Lest haply you fall into his hands. Strive not with a rich man, lest haply he overweigh you: For gold has destroyed many, And turned away the hearts of kings. Contend not with a man that is full of tongue, And heap not wood upon his fire. Jest not with a rude man, Lest your ancestors be dishonored. Reproach not a man when he turns from sin: Remember that we are all worthy of punishment. Dishonour not a man in his old age; For some of us also are waxing old. Rejoice not over one that is dead: Remember that we die all. Neglect not the discourse of the wise, And be conversant with their proverbs; For of them you will learn instruction, And how to minister to great men. Miss not the discourse of the aged; For they also learned of their fathers: Because from them you will learn understanding, And to give answer in time of need. Kindle not the coals of a sinner, Lest you be burned with the flame of his fire. Rise not up from the presence of an insolent man, Lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your mouth. Lend not to a man that is mightier than yourself; And if you lend, be as one that has lost. Be not surety above your power: And if you be surety, take thought as one that will have to pay. Go not to law with a judge; For according to his honor will they give judgement for him. Go not in the way with a rash man, Lest he be aggrieved with you; For he will do according to his own will, And you will perish with his folly. Fight not with a wrathful man, And travel not with him through the desert: For blood is as nothing in his sight; And where there is no help, he will overthrow you. Take not counsel with a fool; For he will not be able to conceal the matter. Do no secret thing before a stranger; For you know not what he will bring forth. Open not your heart to every man; And let him not return you a favor.
Morning Prayer — Second Lesson
Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way. Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.” He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?’ He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’ ” He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. She was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up. When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and glorified God. The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!” Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water? Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.” Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.” On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.’ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Evening Prayer — First Lesson
Be not jealous over the wife of your bosom, And teach her not an evil lesson against yourself. Give not your soul to a woman, That she should set her foot upon your strength. Go not to meet a woman that playeth the harlot, Lest haply you fall into her snares. Use not the company of a woman that is a singer, Lest haply you be caught by her attempts. Gaze not on a maid, lest haply you be trapped in her penalties. Give not your soul to harlots, That you lose not your inheritance. Look not round about you in the streets of the city, Neither wander you in the solitary places thereof. Turn away your eye from a comely woman, And gaze not on another’s beauty: By the beauty of a woman many have been led astray; And herewith love is kindled as a fire. Sit not at all with a woman that has a husband; And revel not with her at the wine; Lest haply your soul turn away to her, And with your spirit you slide into destruction. Forsake not an old friend; For the new is not comparable to him: As new wine, so is a new friend; If it become old, you will drink it with gladness. Envy not the glory of a sinner; For you know not what will be his overthrow. Delight not in the delights of the ungodly: Remember they will not go unpunished to the grave. Keep you far from the man that has power to kill, And you will have no suspicion of the fear of death: And if you come to him, commit no fault, Lest he take away your life: Know surely that you go about in the midst of snares, And walk upon the battlements of a city. As well as you can, guess at your neighbors; And take counsel with the wise. Let your converse be with men of understanding; And let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High. Let just men be the companions of your board; And let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord. For the hand of the artificers a work will be commended: And he that rules the people will be counted wise for his speech. A man full of tongue is dangerous in his city; And he that is headlong in his speech will be hated.
Evening Prayer — Second Lesson
Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants: Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God whenever I remember you, always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News, so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ, and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake. Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again. Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News; and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God. Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
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.