Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NRSV)

​Fifth Sunday in Lent

1The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." 4Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."

7So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

11Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act, says the LORD."

I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Daily Bible Reading: Friday, March 24, 2023

Ezekiel 33:10-16 (NRSV)

​10Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: "Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?" 11Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? 12And you, mortal, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not save them when they transgress; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, it shall not make them stumble when they turn from their wickedness; and the righteous shall not be able to live by their righteousness when they sin. 13Though I say to the righteous that they shall surely live, yet if they trust in their righteousness and commit iniquity, none of their righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 14Again, though I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die," yet if they turn from their sin and do what is lawful and right — 15if the wicked restore the pledge, give back what they have taken by robbery, and walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity — they shall surely live, they shall not die. 16None of the sins that they have committed shall be remembered against them; they have done what is lawful and right, they shall surely live.

I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 

Daily Bible Reading: Monday, March 20, 2023

Psalm 89:1-29 (NRSV)

​Joseph, Guardian of Jesus (transferred)

1I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
4'I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.'"
Selah

5Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
6For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
7a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
8O Lord GOD of hosts,
who is as mighty as you, O LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it — you have founded them.
12The north and the south — you created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance;
16they exult in your name all day long,
and extol your righteousness.
17For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18For our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
"I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
21my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
22The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
23I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
24My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
25I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
26He shall cry to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!'
27I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
28Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him,
and my covenant with him will stand firm.
29I will establish his line forever,
and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

ELCA's daily Bible readings are chosen from "Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings," prepared by Consultation on the Common Texts, © 2005.
All text is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches USA, and is used by permission. All rights reserved.