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

April 25 

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 103

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits- -
3 who forgiveth all thine iniquities,
who healeth all thy diseases,
4 who redeemeth thy life from destruction,
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 who satisfieth thy mouth with good things,
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide,
neither will He keep His anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pitieth his children,
so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him.
14 For He knoweth our frame;
He remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass;
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;
and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him,
and His righteousness unto children's children,
18 to such as keep His covenant,
and to those that remember His commandments to do them.

19 The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens,
and His Kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the LORD, ye His angels that excel in strength,
that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.
21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye His hosts,
ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Mark 4:21-29 

21 And He said unto them, 

"Is a candle brought to be put under a basket or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick? 22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should be revealed. 23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." 

24 And He said unto them, 

"Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath." 

26 And He said, 

"So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground, 27 and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come."

1 Corinthians 14:1-12

1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather so that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him, however it may be that in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself, but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, unless he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 7 And even things without life, making sounds, whether pipe or harp, unless they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the battle? 9 So likewise you, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken, for ye shall be speaking into the air? 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, inasmuch as ye are zealous to possess spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

1 Samuel 2:1-11

1 And Hannah prayed and said,
"My heart rejoiceth in the LORD;
mine horn is exalted in the LORD.
My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies,
because I rejoice in Thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the LORD, for there is none besides Thee;
neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
let not arrogance come out of your mouth;
for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
and by Him actions are weighed.

4 "The bows of the mighty men are broken,
and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread,
and they that were hungry ceased hungering,
so that the barren hath borne seven,
and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

6 "The LORD killeth and maketh alive;
He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up.
7 The LORD maketh poor and maketh rich;
He bringeth low and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,
to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and He hath set the world upon them.

9 "He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;
for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;
out of heaven shall He thunder upon them.
The LORD shall judge the ends of the earth;
and He shall give strength unto His king and exalt the horn of His anointed."

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 12:28 

In the way of righteousness is life, 
and in the pathway thereof there is no death.