Today’s Readings: Mon 25 Mar 2024

Hosea 11–14

11:1When Israel was a child, I loved him,and out of Egypt I called my son.2The more they were called,the more they went away;they kept sacrificing to the Baalsand burning offerings to idols. 3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;I took them up by their arms,but they did not know that I healed them.4I led them with cords of kindness,with the bands of love,and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,and I bent down to them and fed them. 5They shall not return to the land of Egypt,but Assyria shall be their king,because they have refused to return to me.6The sword shall rage against their cities,consume the bars of their gates,and devour them because of their own counsels.7My people are bent on turning away from me,and though they call out to the Most High,he shall not raise them up at all. 8How can I give you up, O Ephraim?How can I hand you over, O Israel?How can I make you like Admah?How can I treat you like Zeboiim?My heart recoils within me;my compassion grows warm and tender.9I will not execute my burning anger;I will not again destroy Ephraim;for I am God and not a man,the Holy One in your midst,and I will not come in wrath. 10They shall go after the LORD;he will roar like a lion;when he roars,his children shall come trembling from the west;11they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,and like doves from the land of Assyria,and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,and the house of Israel with deceit,but Judah still walks with Godand is faithful to the Holy One.12:1Ephraim feeds on the windand pursues the east wind all day long;they multiply falsehood and violence;they make a covenant with Assyria,and oil is carried to Egypt.

2The LORD has an indictment against Judahand will punish Jacob according to his ways;he will repay him according to his deeds.3In the womb he took his brother by the heel,and in his manhood he strove with God.4He strove with the angel and prevailed;he wept and sought his favor.He met God at Bethel,and there God spoke with us—5the LORD, the God of hosts,the LORD is his memorial name:6“So you, by the help of your God, return,hold fast to love and justice,and wait continually for your God.” 7A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,he loves to oppress.8Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;I have found wealth for myself;in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”9I am the LORD your Godfrom the land of Egypt;I will again make you dwell in tents,as in the days of the appointed feast. 10I spoke to the prophets;it was I who multiplied visions,and through the prophets gave parables.11If there is iniquity in Gilead,they shall surely come to nothing:in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;their altars also are like stone heapson the furrows of the field.12Jacob fled to the land of Aram;there Israel served for a wife,and for a wife he guarded sheep.13By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,and by a prophet he was guarded.14Ephraim has given bitter provocation;so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on himand will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.

13:1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;he was exalted in Israel,but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2And now they sin more and more,and make for themselves metal images,idols skillfully made of their silver,all of them the work of craftsmen.It is said of them,“Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3Therefore they shall be like the morning mistor like the dew that goes early away,like the chaff that swirls from the threshing flooror like smoke from a window. 4But I am the LORD your Godfrom the land of Egypt;you know no God but me,and besides me there is no savior.5It was I who knew you in the wilderness,in the land of drought;6but when they had grazed, they became full,they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;therefore they forgot me.7So I am to them like a lion;like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;I will tear open their breast,and there I will devour them like a lion,as a wild beast would rip them open. 9He destroys you, O Israel,for you are against me, against your helper.10Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?Where are all your rulers—those of whom you said,“Give me a king and princes”?11I gave you a king in my anger,and I took him away in my wrath. 12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;his sin is kept in store.13The pangs of childbirth come for him,but he is an unwise son,for at the right time he does not present himselfat the opening of the womb. 14I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;I shall redeem them from Death.O Death, where are your plagues?O Sheol, where is your sting?Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15Though he may flourish among his brothers,the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come,rising from the wilderness,and his fountain shall dry up;his spring shall be parched;it shall strip his treasuryof every precious thing.16Samaria shall bear her guilt,because she has rebelled against her God;they shall fall by the sword;their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,and their pregnant women ripped open.

14:1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2Take with you wordsand return to the LORD;say to him,“Take away all iniquity;accept what is good,and we will pay with bullsthe vows of our lips.3Assyria shall not save us;we will not ride on horses;and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’to the work of our hands.In you the orphan finds mercy.” 4I will heal their apostasy;I will love them freely,for my anger has turned from them.5I will be like the dew to Israel;he shall blossom like the lily;he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;6his shoots shall spread out;his beauty shall be like the olive,and his fragrance like Lebanon.7They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;they shall flourish like the grain;they shall blossom like the vine;their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?It is I who answer and look after you.I am like an evergreen cypress;from me comes your fruit. 9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;whoever is discerning, let him know them;for the ways of the LORD are right,and the upright walk in them,but transgressors stumble in them.

Matthew 26:57–75

57Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Psalm 13

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

13:1How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?How long will you hide your face from me?2How long must I take counsel in my souland have sorrow in my heart all the day?How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,4lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5But I have trusted in your steadfast love;my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.6I will sing to the LORD,because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Proverbs 8:14–16

14I have counsel and sound wisdom;I have insight; I have strength.15By me kings reign,and rulers decree what is just;16by me princes rule,and nobles, all who govern justly.