Daily Lectionary

January 2, 2019

January 1, 2019 January 3, 2019

These daily readings from the EHV follow the one-year daily lectionary provided in Christian Worship: Hymnal, the Lutheran Service Book, and the Treasury of Daily Prayer. In this lectionary, two readings of 15-25 verses each are provided for each day. Under this plan, nearly all of the New Testament and approximately one-third of the Old Testament are read each year. These readings fit well within the daily offices of Matins, Vespers, or Compline as daily family devotions.

Isaiah 62:1-12

For Zion's Sake, Cry Out

62¹For the sake of Zion I will not be silent.

For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet,

until her righteousness goes forth shining brightly,

and her salvation burns like a torch.

²Nations will see your righteousness,

and all kings will see your glory.

You will be called by a new name

that the mouth of the Lord will assign to you.

³Then you will be a beautiful crown in the Lord's hand,

and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.

⁴You will never again be called Abandoned,^[]

and your land will never again be called Desolation,^[]

for you will be called My Delight Is in Her,^[]

and your land will be called Married,^[]

because the Lord delights in you,

and your land will be married.

⁵For just as a young man marries a virgin,

your sons^[] will marry you,

and just as a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,

your God will rejoice over you.

⁶Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I appointed watchmen.

All day and all night they will never be silent.

You who keep reminding the Lord, do not rest!

⁷Do not give him rest

until he establishes Jerusalem,

and he causes her to be praised on the earth.

⁸The Lord swore by his right hand

and by his strong arm:

I will certainly never again give up your grain as food for your enemies,

and foreigners will not drink the sweet new wine you worked for.

⁹For those who pick fruit will eat it, and they will praise the Lord,

and those who harvest grapes will drink in my holy courtyards.

¹⁰Go through, go through the gates.

Prepare a way for the people.

Build up, build up the highway.

Clear it of stones.

Raise a banner for the peoples.

¹¹Listen, the Lord is making a proclamation to the end of the earth.

Tell the daughter of Zion:

“Look, your salvation is coming.

Look, his reward is with him,

and his compensation is out in front of him.”^[]

¹²Then they will be called holy people,

the redeemed of the Lord.

Then you will be called Sought After,

A City Not Abandoned.

Luke 2:1-20

Jesus Is Born

2¹In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³And everyone went to register, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, his wife,^[] who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

⁶And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: ¹¹Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ^[] the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.”^[]

¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.