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

August 20

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 41

1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor;
the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shallbe blessed upon the earth;
and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing;
Thou wilt turn him on his bed in his sickness.

4 I said, "LORD, be merciful unto me;
heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee."
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me and say,
"When shall he die and his name perish?"
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity;
his heart gathereth iniquity to itself, and when he goeth out, he telleth it.

7 All that hate me whisper together against me;
against me do they devise my hurt.
8 "An evil disease," they say, "cleaveth fast unto him,
and now that he lieth down, he shall rise up no more."
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, that ate of my bread,
hath lifted up his heel against me.

10 But Thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me,
and raise me up that I may requite them.
11 By this I know that Thou favorest me:
because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, Thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
and settest me before Thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Luke 15:1-10

1 Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them." 3 And He spoke this parable unto them, saying,

4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 I say unto you that likewise more joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.

8 "Or what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently until she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost!' 10 Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

1 Timothy 6:17-21

17 Charge those who are rich in this world that they be not haughty, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, 19 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science, falsely so called, 21 which some professing have erred concerning the faith. 

Grace be with thee. 

Amen.

Isaiah 47:1-3, 7-11

1 "Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon;
sit on the ground.
There is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans!
For thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
2 Take the millstones and grind meal;
uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered; yea, thy shame shall be seen;
I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man."

7 And thou saidst, `I shall be a lady for ever,' so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart,
neither didst remember the latter end of it.

8 "Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures,
who dwellest carelessly, who sayest in thine heart, `I am, and none else besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow,
neither shall I know the loss of children.'
9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day:
the loss of children, and widowhood.
They shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries,
and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness;
thou hast said, `None seeth me.'
Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee;
and thou hast said in thine heart, `I am, and none else besides me.'
11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee;
thou shalt not know from whence it riseth.
And mischief shall fall upon thee;
thou shalt not be able to put it off.
And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly,
which thou shalt not know.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 22:16

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, 
shall surely come to want.