The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

January 30, 2024

January 29, 2024 January 31, 2024

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.

Zechariah 9:1-17

The Word of the Lord Against Israel's Enemies
91A threatening oracle.
The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak,
and against Damascus, its resting place,
because the eye of the Lord is on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel.
2It is also against Hamath, which borders on Damascus,
and Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3Tyre has built a stronghold for herself and has piled up silver like dust,
and gold like dirt from the streets.
4Look, the Lord will seize everything she possesses
and throw her wealth into the sea,
and she will be consumed by fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza will writhe in anguish,
and Ekron, too, because her hopes have been dashed.
The kingship will perish from Gaza,
and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.
6A mixed race will live in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7I will remove their blood from their mouths
and their detestable things from between their teeth.
Philistia too will be a remnant for our God,
and it will be like a clan in Judah.
Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
8I will set up camp around my house,
as a guard against those passing back and forth.
The oppressor will never again march over them,
because now I am watching with my own eyes.
Your Savior and King Is Coming!
9Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
Look! Your King is coming to you.
He is righteous and brings salvation.
He is humble and is riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the horse from Jerusalem.
The battle bow will be taken away,
and he will proclaim peace to the nations.
His kingdom will extend from sea to sea,
from the River[] to the ends of the earth.
11As for you,
because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have hope.
This very day I declare that I will restore double to you.
13For I will bend Judah as my bow,
and I will load it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
against your sons, Greece,
and I will make you like a strong warrior's sword.
The Lord Will Appear
14The Lord will appear above them,
and his arrow will go out like lightning.
The Lord God will sound the ram's horn,
and he will go forth in the windstorms from the south.
15The Lord of Armies will defend them,
and they will eat.
They will overpower their enemies with sling stones.
Then they will drink,
and they will be boisterous as if drunk with wine.
They will be filled like a sprinkling bowl used at the corners of the altar.
16On that day the Lord their God will save them as the flock of his people.
For like the jewels of a crown they will shine on his land.
17Yes, what goodness it will have! What beauty!
Grain will make the young men thrive,
and new wine will make the young women thrive.

2 Timothy 2:1-26

Encouragement to Be Strong
21You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2Entrust the things you heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses, to faithful men who will also be able to teach others.
3Share hardships as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the affairs of everyday life. If he does, he will not please the one who enlisted him. 5Also, if someone competes as an athlete, he does not receive a crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should receive a share of the crops first. 7Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, a descendant[] of David, in accordance with my gospel, 9for which I am suffering, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain[] the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, along with eternal glory. 11This saying is trustworthy:
Indeed, if we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12If we endure, we will also reign with him;
If we deny him, he will also deny us;
13If we are faithless, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself.
Correctly Handle the Word of Truth
14Remind people of these things, as you solemnly charge them in the presence of God[] not to fight about words, which does no good and only ruins those who listen. 15Make every effort to present yourself to God as one who is approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, correctly handling[] the word of truth. 16As for pointless chatter, avoid it, for it will lead to an ever greater measure of godlessness, 17and their message will spread like gangrene. This includes Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have veered away from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are overturning the faith of some. 19Nevertheless, God's foundation stands firm, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,”[] and “Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord keep away from wickedness.”[]
20In a large house there are articles[] not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay-some for honorable use and some for dishonorable use. 21So if anyone cleanses himself thoroughly from these things, he will be an instrument[] for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master, and prepared to do every good work.
22Flee from the lusts young people have and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23But avoid foolish and ignorant arguments, since you know they breed quarrels. 24It is necessary that a servant of the Lord not quarrel but be kind toward everyone, able to teach, able to bear evil without resentment, 25and gentle in correcting those who oppose him. God may grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the Devil's trap, after they were captured by him to do his will.