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

July 18

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 13

1 How long wilt Thou forget me, O LORD?
For ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God;
lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 lest mine enemy say, "I have prevailed against him";
and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in Thy mercy;
my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the LORD,
because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

Luke 7:18-28

18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. 19 And John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus asking, "Art thou He that should come, or look we for another?" 20 When the men had come unto Him, they said, "John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, asking, `Art thou He that should come, or look we for another?'" 21 And in that same hour He cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil spirits, and unto many who were blind He gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them,

"Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard: how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the Gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me."

24 And when the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak unto the people concerning John:

"What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that are gorgeously appareled and live luxuriously are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written:
`Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face,
who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.'
28 For I say unto you, among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

Colossians 2:8-15

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power, 11 and in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. 12 Ye are buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye also are risen with Him through the faith wrought by the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us. He took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; 15 and having despoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Job 14

1 "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one,
and bringest me into judgment with Thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
Not one!
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee;
Thou hast appointed his bounds, that he cannot pass.
6 Turn from him, that he may rest,
till, as a hireling, he shall accomplish his day.
7 For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground,
9 yet through the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth and wasteth away;
yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up,
12 so man lieth down and riseth not;
till the heavens be no more they shall not awake,
nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 "O that Thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that Thou wouldest keep me secret until Thy wrath be past;
that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again?
All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer Thee;
Thou wilt desire the work of Thine hands.
16 For now Thou numberest my steps;
dost Thou not watch over my sin?
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
and Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought,
and the rock is removed out of his place.
19 The waters wear away the stones; Thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth,
and Thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth;
Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not;
and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain,
and his soul within him shall mourn."

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 19:23

The fear of the LORD tendeth to life, and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; 
he shall not be visited with evil.