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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.
Duration: 1245 days
New International Version (NIV)
Version
Psalm 5

Psalm 5[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

1 Listen(A) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.(B)
2 Hear my cry for help,(C)
    my King and my God,(D)
    for to you I pray.

3 In the morning,(E) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.(F)
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people(G) are not welcome.
5 The arrogant(H) cannot stand(I)
    in your presence.
You hate(J) all who do wrong;
6     you destroy those who tell lies.(K)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence(L) I bow down(M)
    toward your holy temple.(N)

8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight(P) before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;(Q)
    with their tongues they tell lies.(R)
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,(S)
    for they have rebelled(T) against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.(U)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name(V) may rejoice in you.(W)

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;(X)
    you surround them(Y) with your favor as with a shield.(Z)

Proverbs 16:21-33

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.[a](A)

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(B)
    but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(C)
    and their lips promote instruction.[b](D)

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,(E)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.(F)

25 There is a way that appears to be right,(G)
    but in the end it leads to death.(H)

26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
    their hunger drives them on.

27 A scoundrel(I) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(J)

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(K)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(L)

29 A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.(M)

30 Whoever winks(N) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(O)
    it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast(P) into the lap,
    but its every decision(Q) is from the Lord.(R)

Matthew 15:1-9

That Which Defiles(A)

15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”(B)

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a](C) and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b](D) 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.(E)’[c](F)”

New International Version (NIV)

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