Daily Readings

¹ In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.² Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.³ And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;⁴ Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.⁵ And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.⁶ And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?⁷ So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.⁸ In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.⁹ And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.¹⁰ And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.¹¹ And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.¹² This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.¹³ Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.¹⁴ For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.¹⁵ And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.¹⁶ Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.¹⁷ In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.¹⁸ And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.¹⁹ And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.²⁰ And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.²¹ And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?²² And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.²³ In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.²⁴ And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.²⁵ But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.²⁶ And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.²⁷ In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.²⁸ And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.²⁹ In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.³⁰ And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.³¹ And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.³² In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.³³ Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.³⁴ And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.³⁵ Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.³⁶ Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?³⁷ In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.³⁸ And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

¹ And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.² Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.³ Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.⁴ Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.⁵ Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.⁶ And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.⁷ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;⁸ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.⁹ And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.¹⁰ Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.¹¹ Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.¹² A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.¹³ Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.¹⁴ Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.¹⁵ So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.¹⁶ When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:¹⁷ So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

¹ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,² Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;³ It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,⁴ That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.⁷ And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.⁸ And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,⁹ According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.¹¹ And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.¹³ But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.¹⁴ And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.¹⁵ For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.¹⁶ And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.¹⁷ And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.¹⁸ And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.¹⁹ And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.²⁰ And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.²² And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.²³ And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.²⁴ And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,²⁵ Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible.³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.³⁹ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;⁴⁰ And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:⁴² And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.⁴³ And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?⁴⁴ For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.⁴⁵ And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.⁴⁸ For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.⁴⁹ For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.⁵⁰ And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.⁵¹ He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.⁵² He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.⁵³ He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.⁵⁴ He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;⁵⁵ As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.⁵⁶ And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.⁵⁷ Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.⁵⁸ And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.⁵⁹ And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.⁶⁰ And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.⁶¹ And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.⁶² And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.⁶³ And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.⁶⁴ And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.⁶⁵ And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.⁶⁶ And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,⁶⁹ And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;⁷⁰ As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:⁷¹ That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;⁷² To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;⁷³ The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,⁷⁴ That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,⁷⁸ Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,⁷⁹ To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.