The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

July 19, 2025

July 18, 2025 July 20, 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.

1 Samuel 2:18-36

18But Samuel ministered before the Lord while he was still a young boy, dressed in a special vest[] made of linen. 19His mother would make a little robe for him and bring it to him whenever she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you offspring[] from this woman in place of the son she asked for, whom she loaned to the Lord.” Then they would go back to their home. 21The Lord came to Hannah with his blessing,[] and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
22Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I keep hearing from all these people about your evil actions. 24No, my sons, it is not a good report that I hear! The people are spreading this report everywhere.[] 25If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will mediate for him?” But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death.[]
26The young man Samuel continued to grow, and he increased in favor both with the Lord and with men.
The Lord's Warning to Eli
27A man of God came to Eli and told him this:
This is what the Lord says. Didn't I clearly reveal myself to the house of your father[] when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28Out of all the tribes of Israel I chose him to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the special vest before me. I also gave the house of your father all the food offerings[] from the people of Israel. 29Why do all of you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded for my dwelling place?[] Why do you, Eli, honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves with the best of all the offerings from my people Israel?
30Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: I stated solemnly that your house[] and the house of your father would walk before me forever. But now the Lord declares, “This will never be! Yes, I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed.” 31Look, the days are coming, when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there will never be an old man in your house. 32You will see the distress of the dwelling place. Even when things are good for Israel, there shall never be an old man in your house. 33Any man of yours whom I do not cut off from my altar will only wear out your eyes with tears and your heart with grief, and all the future generations of your house will die before they reach old age.[]
34This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they will both die. 35I will raise up a faithful priest for myself, one who will act according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build an enduring house for him, and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36Then anyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to the faithful priest to receive a piece of silver and a loaf of bread. The one who is left will say, “Please appoint me to one of the priests' offices, so that I can eat a scrap of bread.”

Acts 15:22-41

22Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, thought it would be best to choose men from their group to send to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leading men among the brothers.
23They wrote this letter for them to deliver:
From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24We heard that there were some who came from us without our authorization and caused you distress by unsettling your minds with what they said.[] 25So it seemed best to us, since we are of one mind, to choose some men to send to you, along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will report these same things by word of mouth. 28For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us to put no greater burden on you than these essentials: 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully avoid these things, you will do well.
Farewell.
30After they were sent on their way, they went down to Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and rejoiced over its encouraging message. 32Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, also said much that encouraged and strengthened the brothers. 33After they had spent some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the greeting of peace to those who had sent them.[] 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they, along with many others, kept on teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Go Separate Ways
36After a time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let's return and visit the[] brothers[] in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, who is called Mark, along with them. 38But Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him along, since he had deserted them in Pamphylia and did not continue to travel with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and set out, after being entrusted to the grace of the Lord[] by the brothers.
The Second Mission Journey of Paul
41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.