If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children forever!

Daily Bible Reading: Friday, October 11, 2024

Deuteronomy 5:22-33 (NRSV)

22These words the LORD spoke with a loud voice to your whole assembly at the mountain, out of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and he added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me. 23When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders; 24and you said, "Look, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live. 25So now why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, we shall die. 26For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and remained alive? 27Go near, you yourself, and hear all that the LORD our God will say. Then tell us everything that the LORD our God tells you, and we will listen and do it."

28The LORD heard your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me: "I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they are right in all that they have spoken. 29If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children forever! 30Go say to them, 'Return to your tents.' 31But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes and the ordinances, that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess." 32You must therefore be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. 33You must follow exactly the path that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess.

When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty.

Daily Bible Reading: Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Deuteronomy 24:1-5 (NRSV)

1Suppose a man enters into marriage with a woman, but she does not please him because he finds something objectionable about her, and so he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; she then leaves his house 2and goes off to become another man's wife. 3Then suppose the second man dislikes her, writes her a bill of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house (or the second man who married her dies); 4her first husband, who sent her away, is not permitted to take her again to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that would be abhorrent to the LORD, and you shall not bring guilt on the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a possession.

5When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty. He shall be free at home one year, to be happy with the wife whom he has married.

So that you do not act corruptly by making an idol for yourselves, in the form of any figure — the likeness of male or female.

Daily Bible Reading: Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Deuteronomy 4:15-20 (NRSV)

​15Since you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, take care and watch yourselves closely, 16so that you do not act corruptly by making an idol for yourselves, in the form of any figure — the likeness of male or female, 17the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. 19And when you look up to the heavens and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, do not be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples everywhere under heaven. 20But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron- smelter, out of Egypt, to become a people of his very own possession, as you are now.

But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; your name endures to all generations.

Daily Bible Reading: Monday, February 5, 2024

Psalm 102:12-28 (NRSV)

​12But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
your name endures to all generations.
13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to favor it;
the appointed time has come.
14For your servants hold its stones dear,
and have pity on its dust.
15The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
16For the LORD will build up Zion;
he will appear in his glory.
17He will regard the prayer of the destitute,
and will not despise their prayer.
18Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet unborn may praise the LORD:
19that he looked down from his holy height,
from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die;
21so that the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
22when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
24"O my God," I say, "do not take me away
at the midpoint of my life,
you whose years endure
throughout all generations."
25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26They will perish, but you endure;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You change them like clothing, and they pass away;
27but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28The children of your servants shall live secure;
their offspring shall be established in your presence.

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.