The Daily Readings for FRIDAY, October 13, 2017

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

Daily Readings for

FRIDAY, October 13, 2017

2 Kings 23:36-24:17

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as all his ancestors had done. In his days King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. The LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Arameans, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the Ammonites; he sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets. Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, for all that he had committed, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to pardon. Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? So Jehoiakim slept with his ancestors; then his son Jehoiachin succeeded him. The king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken over all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done. At that time the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it; King Jehoiachin of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself, his mother, his servants, his officers, and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign. He carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which King Solomon of Israel had made, all this as the LORD had foretold. He carried away all Jerusalem, all the officials, all the warriors, ten thousand captives, all the artisans and the smiths; no one remained, except the poorest people of the land. He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; the king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the elite of the land, he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, seven thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war. The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

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. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would 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. And if the ear would 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. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 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." On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Matthew 9:27-34

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you." And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, "See that no one knows of this." But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district. After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, "Never has anything like this been seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 140 Eripe me, Domine
1   Deliver me, O LORD, from evildoers; protect me from the violent,
2   Who devise evil in their hearts and stir up strife all day long.
3   They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adder's poison is under their lips.
4   Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who are determined to trip me up.
5   The proud have hidden a snare for me and stretched out a net of cords; they have set traps for me along the path.
6   I have said to the LORD, "You are my God; listen, O LORD, to my supplication.
7   O Lord GOD, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8   Do not grant the desires of the wicked, O LORD, nor let their evil plans prosper.
9   Let not those who surround me lift up their heads; let the evil of their lips overwhelm them.
10   Let hot burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the mire, never to rise up again."
11   A slanderer shall not be established on the earth, and evil shall hunt down the lawless.
12   I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the poor and render justice to the needy.
13   Surely, the righteous will give thanks to your Name, and the upright shall continue in your sight.

Psalm 142 Voce mea ad Dominum
1   I cry to the LORD with my voice; to the LORD I make loud supplication.
2   I pour out my complaint before him and tell him all my trouble.
3   When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path; in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4   I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me; I have no place to flee to, and no one cares for me.
5   I cry out to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
6   Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low; save me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.
7   Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name; when you have dealt bountifully with me, the righteous will gather around me.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 141 Domine, clamavi
1   O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; hear my voice when I cry to you.
2   Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3   Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
4   Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers, nor eat of their choice foods.
5   Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke; let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head; for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6   Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places, that they may know my words are true.
7   As when a plowman turns over the earth in furrows, let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave.
8   But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.
9   Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me and from the traps of the evildoers.
10   Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I myself escape.

Psalm 143 Domine, exaudi
1   LORD, hear my prayer, and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; answer me in your righteousness.
2   Enter not into judgment with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified.
3   For my enemy has sought my life; he has crushed me to the ground; he has made me live in dark places like those who are long dead.
4   My spirit faints within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5   I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; I consider the works of your hands.
6   I spread out my hands to you; my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.
7   O LORD, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
8   Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning, for I put my trust in you; show me the road that I must walk, for I lift up my soul to you.
9   Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD, for I flee to you for refuge.
10   Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11   Revive me, O LORD, for your Name's sake; for your righteousness' sake, bring me out of trouble.
12   Of your goodness, destroy my enemies and bring all my foes to naught, for truly I am your servant.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.