Daily Scripture Reading for the
Liturgical Calendar Year
(beginning the 1st Sunday of Advent)

August 16, 2008

Text taken from the
Third Millennium Bible^® (TMB^®)
(New Authorized Version^TM NAV^TM)

The Lectionary According to the Christian Seasons

Ezekiel 18

1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 2 "What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: `The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are Mine. As the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 5 But if a man be just and do that which is lawful and right, 6 and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7 and hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath despoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 hath walked in My statutes and hath kept My judgments to deal truly -- he is just: he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. 

10 "If he beget a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 and who doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains and defiled his neighbor's wife, 12 hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath despoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13 hath given forth upon usury and hath taken increase -- shall he then live? He shall not live. He hath done all these abominations: he shall surely die. His blood shall be upon him. 

14 "Now, lo, if he beget a son who seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth and doeth not the like, 15 who hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife, 16 neither hath oppressed any, hath not withheld the pledge, neither hath despoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry and hath covered the naked with a garment; 17 who hath taken off his hand from the poor, who hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed My judgments, hath walked in My statutes -- he shall not die for the iniquity of his father: he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, despoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

19 "Yet say ye, `Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?' When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all My statutes and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all My statutes and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live: he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him. In his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 

23 "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord GOD, and not that he should return from his ways and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 

25 "Yet ye say, `The way of the Lord is not equal.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not My way equal? Are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity and dieth in it, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live: he shall not die. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, `The way of the Lord is not equal.' O house of Israel, are not My ways equal? Are not your ways unequal? 

30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD. Therefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness;
according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight,
that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.

5 Behold, I was shaped in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, Thou desirest truth in my inward parts;
in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from Thy presence,
and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation,
and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways,
and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation,
and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open Thou my lips,
and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
16 For Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it;
Thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion;
build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.

Words of Worship - Matthew 11:25b

"I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Matthew 19:13-15

13 Then were there brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them, 14 but Jesus said,

"Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

15 And He laid His hands on them and departed thence.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 24:19-20

Fret not thyself because of evil men, 
neither be thou envious of the wicked;
for there shall be no reward to the evil man; 
the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Jesus Speaks Morals & Values - Matthew 13:18-23
         (see UniversalJesusSpeaks.info for more information)

Matthew 13:18-23

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower: When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he that received seed by the wayside. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word and at once with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while. For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he loses faith. He also that received the seed among the thorns is he that heareth the Word; and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the Word and understandeth it; who also beareth fruit and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."