Scripture Reading for the
Common Calendar Year
(beginning January 1st)

April 19

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 97 

1 The LORD reigneth, let the earth rejoice! 
Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof! 
2 Clouds and darkness are round about Him; 
righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne. 
3 A fire goeth before Him, 
and burneth up His enemies round about. 
4 His lightnings enlightened the world;
 the earth saw and trembled. 
5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, 
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare His righteousness, 
and all the people see His glory. 
7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols. 
Worship Him, all ye gods!

8 Zion heard and was glad, 
and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of Thy judgments, O LORD. 
9 For Thou, LORD, art high above all the earth; 
Thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil! 
He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 
11 Light is sown for the righteous, 
and gladness for the upright in heart. 
12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous, 
and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. 

Mark 2:13-22 

13 And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. 14 And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the custom booth, and said unto him, 

"Follow Me." 

And he arose and followed Him. 

15 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat at Levi's house, that many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, "How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?" 17 When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, 

"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." 

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast; and they came and said unto Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?" 19 And Jesus said unto them, 

"Can the attendants of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 

21 "No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up teareth away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins, else the new wine doth burst the skins, and the wine is spilled and the skins will be marred. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

1 Corinthians 10:15-33

15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless: is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break: is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one Bread. 18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? 20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wellbeing. 25 Whatsoever is sold in the meat market, that eat, asking no question for conscience' sake; 26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."

27 If any of those who do not believe bid you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go, whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, "This is offered in sacrifice unto idols," then eat it not for his sake who showed it, and for conscience' sake; for, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." 29 I do not mean thine own conscience, but the other's. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? 30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why is evil spoken of me for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God, 33 even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Ruth 1

1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 And the name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. 3 And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 And they took themselves wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab how the LORD had visited His people in giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to your mother's house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept. 10 And they said unto her, "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people." 11 And Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters. Why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would ye tarry for them until they were grown? Would ye refrain for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me." 14 And they lifted up their voice and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved unto her.

15 And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law." 16 And Ruth said:

"Entreat me not to leave thee,
or to return from following after thee;
for whither thou goest, I will go,
and where thou lodgest, I will lodge.
Thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God.
17 Where thou diest will I die,
and there will I be buried;
the LORD do so to me, and more also,
if aught but death part thee and me."

18 When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left off speaking unto her.

19 So the two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them; and they said, "Is this Naomi?" 20 And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi [that is, Pleasant]. Call me Mara [that is, Bitter], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned out of the country of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 12:19 

The lips of truth shall be established for ever, 
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.