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

March 15

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 68:19-35

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation.
20 He that is our God is the God of salvation;
and unto GOD the Lord belongeth the discharge from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of His enemies, 
and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, "I will bring again from Bashan; 
I will bring My people again from the depths of the sea, 
23 that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, 
and the tongues of thy dogs in the same." 
24 They have seen Thy goings, O God, 
even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. 
25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; 
among them were the damsels playing with timbrels: 
26 "Bless ye God in the congregations, 
even the Lord from the fountain of Israel." 
27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, 
the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength;
strengthen, O God, that which Thou hast wrought for us.
29 Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem
shall kings bring presents unto Thee.
30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the people, until every one submit himself with pieces of silver; 
scatter Thou the people that delight in war. 
31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; 
Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth!
O sing praises unto the Lord,
33 to Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old;
lo, He doth send out His voice, and that a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe ye strength unto God;
His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, Thou art fearsome out of Thy holy places;
the God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God!

Matthew 22:15-22

15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent out unto Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Master, we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth; neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said,

"Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tribute money."

And they brought unto Him a penny. 20 And He said unto them,

"Whose is this image and superscription?"

21 And they said unto Him, "Caesar's." Then said He unto them,

"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Romans 8:12-25

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh; 13 for if ye live according to the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so it be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it? 25 But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Numbers 27:1-23

1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3 "Our father died in the wilderness; and he was not in the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died in his own sin and had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father." 

5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD. 6 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 7 "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. Thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren, and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, `If a man die and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. 11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.'"

12 And the LORD said unto Moses, "Get thee up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14 For ye rebelled against My commandment in the Desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify Me at the water before their eyes." (That is, the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.) 15 And Moses spoke unto the LORD, saying, 16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them and who may go in before them and who may lead them out and who may bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd." 18 And the LORD said unto Moses, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 19 and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. 20 And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation." 22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 And he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Words of Wisdom - Ecclesiasticus 8:5 

Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, 
but remember that we are all worthy of punishment.