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

May 3

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

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 107:23-43 

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters: 
24 these see the works of the LORD and His wonders in the deep. 
25 For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. 
27 They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, 
and are at their wits' end. 
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, 
and He bringeth them out of their distresses. 
29 He maketh the storm a calm, 
so that the waves thereof are still. 
30 Then are they glad because they are quiet; 
so He bringeth them unto their desired haven. 
31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, 
and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 
32 Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, 
and praise Him in the assembly of the elders. 

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness 
and the watersprings into dry ground, 
34 a fruitful land into barrenness 
for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 
35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water 
and dry ground into watersprings; 
36 and there He maketh the hungry to dwell, 
that they may prepare a city for habitation, 
37 and sow the fields and plant vineyards, 
which may yield fruitful increase. 
38 He blesseth them also so that they are multiplied greatly, 
and alloweth not their cattle to decrease. 

39 Again, they are diminished and brought low 
through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 
40 He poureth contempt upon princes, 
and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way. 
41 Yet setteth He the poor on high from affliction, 
and maketh their families like a flock. 
42 The righteous shall see it and rejoice, 
and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 
43 Whoso is wise and will observe these things, 
even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Mark 6:14-29 

14 And King Herod heard of Him, for His name was spread abroad. And he said, "John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and therefore these mighty works show forth themselves in him." 15 Others said, "It is Elijah," and others said, "It is a prophet, or like one of the prophets." 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, "It is John, whom I beheaded; he is risen from the dead." 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and had bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. 18 For John had said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." 19 Therefore Herodias had an inward grudge against him and would have killed him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 21 And when a convenient day had come, when Herod on his birthday gave a supper for his lords, high officers, and chief officials of Galilee, 22 and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, "Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it to thee." 23 And he swore unto her, "Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it to thee, unto the half of my kingdom." 24 And she went forth and said unto her mother, "What shall I ask?" And Herodias said, "The head of John the Baptist." 25 And she came back straightway with haste unto the king and asked, saying, "I will that thou give me at once on a charger the head of John the Baptist." 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, yet for his oath's sake and for their sakes who sat with him, he would not reject her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded John's head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 and brought his head on a charger and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when John's disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 

55 "O death, where is thy sting? 
O grave, where is thy victory?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 

1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, "Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a king over you; 2 and now, behold, the king walketh before you. And I am old and grayheaded, and behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 3 Behold, here I am! Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you." 4 And they said, "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught from any man's hand." 5 And he said unto them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand." And they answered, "He is witness."

6 And Samuel said unto the people, "It is the LORD who advanced Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob had come into Egypt and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 And they cried unto the LORD and said, `We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baalim and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee.' 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe. 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, `Nay, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired! And behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king who reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God. 15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and He shall send thunder and rain, that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king." 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 And all the people said unto Samuel, "Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not. For we have added unto all our sins this evil: to ask for us a king." 20 And Samuel said unto the people, "Fear not. Ye have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it hath pleased the LORD to make you His people. 23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king."

Words of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 7:5

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, 
than for a man to hear the song of fools.