Daily Readings

[1] Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! [2] It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [3] Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. [4] And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” [5] And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” [6] So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. [7] And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? [8] But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? [9] Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. [10] So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ” [11] Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. [12] Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. [13] And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” [14] So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. [15] And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. [17] So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? [18] Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” [19] And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

[10] In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. [11] For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, [12] not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. [13] Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. [14] We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. [15] Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. [16] By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? [18] My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. [19] And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. [20] For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

[22] Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, [23] and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful. [24] When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” [25] He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” [26] Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. [27] Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” [1] At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [2] Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, [3] and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5] Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. [6] “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! [8] “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. [9] And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

[15] And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. [16] Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge. [17] And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. [18] On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. [19] When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. [20] And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; [21] but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. [22] What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. [23] Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. [24] Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. [25] But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.” [26] Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.

[22] Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. [23] And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. [24] Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. [26] But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. [27] My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. [28] And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. [30] I and My Father are one.” [31] Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. [32] Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” [33] The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” [34] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’ ? [35] If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), [36] do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? [37] If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; [38] but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” [39] Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. [40] And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. [41] Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” [42] And many believed in Him there.

[30] Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. [31] For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” [32] But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. [33] Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” [34] But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. [35] And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” [36] Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, [37] “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” [38] Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” [39] But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. [40] For he who is not against us is on our side. [41] For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. [42] “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. [43] If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— [44] where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ [45] And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— [46] where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’ [47] And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— [48] where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ [49] “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. [50] Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”