Daily Readings

[1] Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, [2] that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. [3] For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. [4] In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. [5] They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. [6] For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. [7] But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. [8] And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” [9] Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. [10] As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. [11] If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

[22] Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. [23] But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. [24] And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. [25] But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” [26] Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. [27] And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. [28] When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” [29] For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. [30] Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. [31] And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. [32] Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. [33] Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. [34] When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. [35] Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. [36] They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. [37] Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. [38] Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, [39] “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. [40] So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. [41] And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, [42] for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. [43] Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, [44] came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. [45] And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” [46] But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” [47] Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. [48] And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” [49] While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” [50] But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” [51] When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. [52] Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” [53] And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. [54] But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” [55] Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. [56] And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

[27] And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. [28] Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. [29] Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. [30] This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. [1] Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. [2] Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. [3] And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. [4] So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. [5] Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. [6] And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. [7] Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. [8] Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” [9] So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. [10] When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. [11] And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” [12] So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. [13] And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. [14] When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. [15] But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” [16] Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. [17] But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. [18] Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. [19] But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. [20] Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. [21] So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. [22] And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” [23] Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. [24] But the word of God grew and multiplied.

[16] “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. [17] But beware of men, forthey will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. [18] You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. [19] But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. Forit will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; [20] for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. [21] “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. [22] Andyou will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. [23] When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. [24] “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. [25] It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! [26] Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. [27] “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. [28] And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. [29] Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. [30] But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. [31] Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. [32] “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. [33] But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. [34] “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. [35] For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; [36] and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ [37] He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. [38] And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. [39] He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. [40] “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

[43] Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. [44] For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. [45] So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast. [46] So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. [47] When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. [48] Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” [49] The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” [50] Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. [51] And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” [52] Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” [53] So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. [54] This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

[10] But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. [11] And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, [12] so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ” [13] And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? [14] The sower sows the word. [15] And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. [16] These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; [17] and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. [18] Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, [19] and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. [20] But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”