The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

July 29, 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 14:47-15:9

Saul's Many Victories
47When Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.[] 48He fought valiantly.[] He struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who had plundered them.
Saul's Family
49The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malkishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger. 50The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahima'az. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul's uncle.[] 51Kish was Saul's father, and Ner, Abner's father, was the son of Abiel.
52There was fierce warfare against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul noticed any heroic man or strong warrior, he would take him into his service.
Saul Is Rejected
151Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people Israel. Therefore, listen to the voice of the Lord. 2This is what the Lord of Armies says. I will repay Amalek for what they did to Israel when they blocked Israel's way as it was coming up out of Egypt. 3Go and strike Amalek. Devote everything they have to destruction. Do not spare them. Kill both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
4So Saul summoned the troops and organized them for battle at Telaim. There were two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5Then Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the ravine. 6Saul said to the Kenites, “Go! Leave! Get away from the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them, because you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which borders Egypt. 8He took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and he devoted all the people to destruction with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the cattle, the fattened calves, and the lambs, along with everything else that was good, because they were not willing to devote them to destruction. But everything that was undesirable and worthless, that they devoted to destruction.

Acts 24:1-23

Paul on Trial Before Felix
241Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They brought formal charges against Paul to the governor.
2When Paul was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “We are enjoying a long period of peace because of you, most excellent Felix, and reforms are coming to this nation because of your foresight. 3In every way and in every place, we acknowledge this with all gratitude. 4But in order not to detain you any longer, I beg you in your kindness to give us a brief hearing. 5For we have found this man to be a public menace, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. 6He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we arrested him.[] 8By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn from him about all these accusations we are bringing against him.”
9The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.
10When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense. 11You can verify for yourself that it was no more than twelve days ago when I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12They did not find me arguing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the accusations they are now making against me.
14“But I do confess to you that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything written throughout the Law and in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God that these men have, that there is going to be a resurrection[] of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16This is the reason I continue to do my best to have a clear conscience toward both God and people.
17“After several years, I came to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 18While I was doing these things, they found me ceremonially purified in the temple, without a crowd or disturbance. 19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia who ought to be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. 20Or let these men here state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, 21unless this is about the one thing I shouted while standing in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”
22Then Felix,[] because he was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the proceedings. He said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23He ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some freedom and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.