Daily Readings

¹ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.⁷ And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.⁸ And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.⁹ And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.¹³ And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.¹⁴ And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.²⁰ And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.²² And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:²³ Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.²⁴ So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

¹ And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.² And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.³ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:⁵ But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.⁶ And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?⁷ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.⁸ And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.⁹ And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?¹⁰ And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.¹¹ And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;¹² When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.¹³ And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.¹⁴ Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.¹⁵ And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.¹⁶ And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.¹⁷ And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.¹⁸ And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.¹⁹ And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.²⁰ And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.²¹ And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.²² And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.²³ And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.²⁴ If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.²⁵ And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.²⁶ And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

¹ Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.² Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.³ But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.⁴ I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.⁵ I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.⁷ Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.⁸ Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

¹ Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.² O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.³ But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.⁴ Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.⁵ Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.⁶ There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.⁷ Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.⁸ I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

¹ Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.² Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.³ My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.⁴ For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.⁵ The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.⁶ Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.⁷ But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.⁹ For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.¹⁰ Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.¹¹ But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.¹² For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

¹ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,² And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.³ For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.⁴ And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.⁵ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,⁶ And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:⁹ And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.¹⁰ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:¹² Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.¹³ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.¹⁴ But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?¹⁵ And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:¹⁷ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

¹ Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.⁵ Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.⁷ Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.¹¹ Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.¹² Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;¹³ And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:¹⁴ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,¹⁵ The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;¹⁶ The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.¹⁸ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.¹⁹ And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.²⁰ And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.²¹ And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.²² And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.²³ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.²⁴ And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.²⁵ And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.