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

February 23

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 49

1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable;
I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when the iniquity at my heels shall compass me about?
6 They that trust in their wealth
and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches,
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother,
nor give to God a ransom for him
8 (for the redemption of their soul is precious,
and it ceaseth for ever),
9 that they should still live for ever,
and not see corruption.

10 For he seeth that wise men die;
likewise the fool and the brutish person perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations;
they call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though he be in honor, abideth not;
he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is their folly,
yet their posterity approve their sayings.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
death shall feed on them,
and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning,
and their beauty shall be consumed in the grave away from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
for He shall receive me.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich,
when the glory of his house is increased.
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away;
his glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul
(and men will praise thee when thou doest well for thyself),
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers;
they shall never see light.

20 Man, though he is in honor but understandeth not,
is like the beasts that perish.

Matthew 16:21-28

21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not happen unto Thee." 23 But He turned and said unto Peter,

"Get thee behind Me, Satan! Thou art an offense unto Me; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

24 Then Jesus said unto His disciples, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, there are some standing here who shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom."

Acts 26:1-32

1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself."

Then Paul stretched forth his hand and answered for himself: 2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 "My manner of life from my youth, which was from the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews. 5 They knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged because of the hope of the promise made by God unto our fathers, 7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to come. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought an incredible thing by you that God should raise the dead?

9 "I myself verily thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, 10 which things I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly maddened against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

12 "Thereupon, as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, brighter than the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fal len to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, `Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.' 15 And I said, `Who art Thou, Lord?' And He said, `I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose: to make thee a minister and a witness, both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee, 17 delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee, 18 to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in Me.'

19 "Thereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, 20 but showed first unto those at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews seized me in the temple and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained the help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said should come: 23 that Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first who should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles."

24 And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself! Much learning doth make thee mad!" 25 But Paul said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king himself knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian." 29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only thou, but also all who hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these bonds."

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and also the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. 31 And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds." 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, "This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar."

Exodus 20:12-26

12 "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13 "Thou shalt not kill.

14 "Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 "Thou shalt not steal.

16 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

18 And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, "Speak thou with us and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." 20 And Moses said unto the people, "Fear not; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not."

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, "Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel: `Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, thy sheep and thine oxen. In all places where I record My name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25 And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.'

Words of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought,
and on the labor that I had labored to do;
and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit,
and there was no profit under the sun.