The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

November 20, 2023

November 19, 2023 November 21, 2023

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.

Daniel 1:1-21

Daniel Is Taken to Babylon
11In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar's hand, along with some of the vessels of the House of God, and he brought them to the land of Shinar[], into the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.
3The king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials,[] to bring some young Israelite men from the royal family or from the nobility. 4He was to choose young men who had no blemish, who were good looking, who had insight into all kinds of wisdom, who possessed knowledge, understanding, and learning, and who were capable of serving in the king's palace, in order to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5The king assigned them daily rations from the special royal food and from the king's own wine. He ordered that they should be trained for three years. At the end of training they were to serve the king. 6In this group of young men were the Judeans Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The chief of the officials gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah the name Shadrak, Mishael the name Meshak, and Azariah the name Abednego.
The Young Men Are Steadfast in Their Faith
8Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the special food of the king or with the wine that he drank. So he sought permission from the chief official, so that he would not have to defile himself. 9God made the chief of the officials favorable and sympathetic toward Daniel. 10Then the chief of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking less healthy than those of the other young men who are your age? You put my life at risk before the king.”
11Daniel said to the superintendent whom the chief of the officials had placed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12“Please test your servants for ten days. Tell them to give us only vegetables, and we will eat them and drink water. 13Observe our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the special royal food. Then deal with your servants based on what you see.” 14So he listened to what they said about this and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of ten days, their appearance was noticeably better than that of the others. They were healthier than any of the young men who had been eating the special royal food. 16So the superintendent permanently took away the special royal food and the wine they were to drink and gave them only vegetables. 17As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight into all kinds of literature, as well as wisdom. In addition, Daniel also understood every kind of vision and dream.
18At the end of the time which the king had set for them to be brought to him, the chief of the officials brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king spoke with them, and none of the others were found to be comparable to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they served the king. 20In every matter concerning wisdom and understanding that the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians[] and spell casters in his entire kingdom. 21So Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Matthew 28:1-20

Jesus' Resurrection
(Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10)
281After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2Suddenly, there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, he rolled away the stone and was sitting on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4The guards were so terrified of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead! And look, he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ See, I have told you!”
8They hurried away from the tomb, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly[] Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”
They approached, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go, tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The Guards' Report
11As they were on their way, there were some members of the guard who went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12After the chief priests had assembled with the elders and had reached a decision, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers 13and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole him away while we were sleeping.’ 14If the governor hears about it, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15After the soldiers took the money, they did as they were instructed. And this story has been repeated among the Jews until this day.
“Go and Gather Disciples”
16The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some hesitated because they were uncertain.[] 18Jesus approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in[] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.”