FIRST
READING: Nehemiah
8: 2 - 4, 5 - 6, 8 - 10
2
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and
women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of
the seventh month.
3
And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from
early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women
and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive to the book of the law.
4
And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for
the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi'ah, Shema, Anai'ah,
Uri'ah, Hilki'ah, and Ma-asei'ah on his right hand; and Pedai'ah,
Mish'a-el, Malchi'jah, Hashum, Hash-bad'danah, Zechari'ah, and
Meshul'lam on his left hand.
5
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was
above all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood.
6
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God; and all the people
answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands; and they
bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the
ground.
8
And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they
gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9
And Nehemi'ah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe,
and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This
day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all
the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10
Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet
wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this
day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the
LORD is your strength."
PSALM:
Psalms 19:
8 - 10, 15
8
the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9
the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of
the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
10
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter
also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
SECOND
READING: 1
Corinthians 12: 12 - 30 Or
12:
12 - 14, 27
12
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members
of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not
belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of
the body.
16
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not
belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of
the body.
17
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the
whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
18
But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them,
as he chose.
19
If all were a single organ, where would the body be?
20
As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you,"
nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22
On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are
indispensable,
23
and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest
with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with
greater modesty,
24
which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so
composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part,
25
that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may
have the same care for one another.
26
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored,
all rejoice together.
27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
28
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers,
administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues.
29
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work
miracles?
30
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret?
Or
12
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members
of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
GOSPEL:
Luke 1:
1 - 4; Luke 4:
14 - 21
1
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things
which have been accomplished among us,
2
just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning
were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,
3
it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for
some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent
The-oph'ilus,
4
that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have
been informed.
14
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a
report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country.
15
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to
the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up
to read;
17
and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened
the book and found the place where it was written,
18
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release
to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty those who are oppressed,
19
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
20
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat
down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21
And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing."
