The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

March 17, 2025

March 16, 2025 March 18, 2025

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.

Genesis 18:1-15

Three Men Meet Abraham
181The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he was sitting by the door to his tent during the heat of the day. 2Abraham looked up, and he saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground. 3He said, “My lord,[] if I have now found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. 4Now let me get a little water so that all of you can wash your feet and rest under the tree. 5Let me get some bread so that you can refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way. That is why you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Yes, do as you have said.”
6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly prepare twenty quarts[] of fine flour, knead it, and make some loaves of bread.” 7Abraham ran to the herd, brought a good, tender calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to prepare it. 8He took cheese curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them. He stood beside them under the tree while they ate.
9They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?”
He said, “She is over there in the tent.”
10One of the men said, “I will certainly return to you when this season comes around next year. Then Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Sarah was listening to this from the tent door, which was behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well into old age. Sarah was past the age for childbearing.[] 12Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, will I have pleasure, since my lord is also old?”
13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really give birth to a child though I am old?’ 14Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the set time next year I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.”
15Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid.
The Lord said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Mark 6:14-34

Recalling the Death of John the Baptizer
(Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9)
14King Herod heard about this because Jesus' name had become well known. Herod was saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead! That is why these powers are at work in him.”
15But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
16When Herod heard this, he said, “This is John, the man I beheaded. He was raised.” 17For it was Herod who had sent men to arrest John. He had him bound in prison because Herod had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 18Indeed, John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.”
19Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to put him to death, but she could not, 20because Herod feared John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, so he kept him safe. When Herod listened to John, he was perplexed in many ways, yet he gladly kept listening to him.
21An opportune day came when it was Herod's birthday. He gave a banquet for his nobles, the military officers, and the prominent men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23With an oath he promised her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
Herodias said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”
25The girl hurried right back to the king and made her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter right now.”
26The king was very sad. But because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27The king sent an executioner at once and ordered him to bring John's head. He went, beheaded John in prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.
29When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus Feeds More Than Five Thousand
(Matthew 14:13-21; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14)
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” For there were so many people coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. 32They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33But many people saw them leave and knew where they were going. They ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. His heart went out to them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them many things.