Daily Lectionary Readings for August 10, 2026

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Monday, August 10, 2026

Morning Psalm 5 1   Give ear to my words, O LORD;           give heed to my sighing. 2   Listen to the sound of my cry,           my King and my God,           for to you I pray. 3   O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;           in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. 4   For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;           evil will not sojourn with you. 5   The boastful will not stand before your eyes;           you hate all evildoers. 6   You destroy those who speak lies;           the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful. 7   But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,           will enter your house,      I will bow down toward your holy temple           in awe of you. 8   Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness           because of my enemies;           make your way straight before me. 9   For there is no truth in their mouths;           their hearts are destruction;      their throats are open graves;           they flatter with their tongues. 10  Make them bear their guilt, O God;           let them fall by their own counsels;      because of their many transgressions cast them out,           for they have rebelled against you. 11  But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;           let them ever sing for joy.      Spread your protection over them,           so that those who love your name may exult in you. 12  For you bless the righteous, O LORD;           you cover them with favor as with a shield. Morning Psalm 145 1   I will extol you, my God and King,           and bless your name forever and ever. 2   Every day I will bless you,           and praise your name forever and ever. 3   Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;           his greatness is unsearchable. 4   One generation shall laud your works to another,           and shall declare your mighty acts. 5   On the glorious splendor of your majesty,           and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6   The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,           and I will declare your greatness. 7   They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,           and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8   The Lord is gracious and merciful,           slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9   The Lord is good to all,           and his compassion is over all that he has made. 10  All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,           and all your faithful shall bless you. 11  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,           and tell of your power, 12  to make known to all people your mighty deeds,           and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,           and your dominion endures throughout all generations.      The Lord is faithful in all his words,           and gracious in all his deeds. 14  The Lord upholds all who are falling,           and raises up all who are bowed down. 15  The eyes of all look to you,           and you give them their food in due season. 16  You open your hand,           satisfying the desire of every living thing. 17  The Lord is just in all his ways,           and kind in all his doings. 18  The Lord is near to all who call on him,           to all who call on him in truth. 19  He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;           he also hears their cry, and saves them. 20  The Lord watches over all who love him,           but all the wicked he will destroy. 21  My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,           and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever. First Reading Judges 12:1-7 1The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!" 2Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were engaged in conflict with the Ammonites who oppressed us severely. But when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. 3When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hand, and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?" 4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, "You are fugitives from Ephraim, you Gileadites - in the heart of Ephraim and Manasseh." 5Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, "Let me go over," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" When he said, "No," 6they said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time. 7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his town in Gilead. Second Reading Acts 5:12-26 12Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, 15so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. 16A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured. 17Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, 18arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20"Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life." 21When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, 23"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on. 25Then someone arrived and announced, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" 26Then the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. Gospel Reading John 3:1-21 1Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." 3Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11"Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." Evening Psalm 82 1   God has taken his place in the divine council;           in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2   “How long will you judge unjustly           and show partiality to the wicked? 3   Give justice to the weak and the orphan;           maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. 4   Rescue the weak and the needy;           deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5   They have neither knowledge nor understanding,           they walk around in darkness;           all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6   I say, “You are gods,           children of the Most High, all of you; 7   nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,           and fall like any prince.” 8   Rise up, O God, judge the earth;           for all the nations belong to you! Evening Psalm 29 1   Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,           ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2   Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;           worship the LORD in holy splendor. 3   The voice of the LORD is over the waters;           the God of glory thunders,           the LORD, over mighty waters. 4   The voice of the LORD is powerful;           the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5   The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;           the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6   He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,           and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7   The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8   The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;           the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9   The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,           and strips the forest bare;           and in his temple all say, “Glory!” 10  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;           the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. 11  May the LORD give strength to his people!           May the LORD bless his people with peace!

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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Bible Readings for August 10, 2026

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Ezra 10:1-44; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; Psalm 31:9-18; and Proverbs 21:3. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.

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Ezra 10:1-44 (The Message)

 

Ezra 10

Ezra Takes Charge

¹ Ezra wept, prostrate in front of The Temple of God. As he prayed and confessed, a huge number of the men, women, and children of Israel gathered around him. All the people were now weeping as if their hearts would break.

^2-3 Shecaniah son of Jehiel of the family of Elam, acting as spokesman, said to Ezra: "We betrayed our God by marrying foreign wives from the people around here. But all is not lost; there is still hope for Israel. Let's make a covenant right now with our God, agreeing to get rid of all these wives and their children, just as my master and those who honor God's commandment are saying. It's what The Revelation says, so let's do it.

⁴ "Now get up, Ezra. Take charge—we're behind you. Don't back down."

⁵ So Ezra stood up and had the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel solemnly swear to do what Shecaniah proposed. And they did it.

⁶ Then Ezra left the plaza in front of The Temple of God and went to the home of Jehohanan son of Eliashib where he stayed, still fasting from food and drink, continuing his mourning over the betrayal by the exiles.

^7-8 A notice was then sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem ordering all the exiles to meet in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to show up in three days, in compliance with the ruling of the leaders and elders, would have all his possessions confiscated and be thrown out of the congregation of the returned exiles.

⁹ All the men of Judah and Benjamin met in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. They all sat down in the plaza in front of The Temple of God. Because of the business before them, and aggravated by the buckets of rain coming down on them, they were restless, uneasy, and anxious.

^10-11 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke: "You've broken trust. You've married foreign wives. You've piled guilt on Israel. Now make your confession to God, the God of your ancestors, and do what he wants you to do: Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives."

¹² The whole congregation responded with a shout, "Yes, we'll do it— just the way you said it!"

^13-14 They also said, "But look, do you see how many people there are out here? And it's the rainy season; you can't expect us to stand out here soaking wet until this is done—why, it will take days! A lot of us are deeply involved in this transgression. Let our leaders act on behalf of the whole congregation. Have everybody who lives in cities and who has married a foreign wife come at an appointed time, accompanied by the elders and judges of each city. We'll keep at this until the hot anger of our God over this thing is turned away."

^15-17 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this. So the exiles went ahead with the plan. Ezra the priest picked men who were family heads, each one by name. They sat down together on the first day of the tenth month to pursue the matter. By the first day of the first month they had finished dealing with every man who had married a foreign wife.

^18-19 Among the families of priests, the following were found to have married foreign wives:

The family of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. They all promised to divorce their wives and sealed it with a handshake. For their guilt they brought a ram from the flock as a Compensation-Offering.

²⁰ The family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

²¹ The family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

²² The family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

²³ From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah—that is, Kelita—Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

²⁴ From the singers: Eliashib.

From the temple security guards: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

²⁵ And from the other Israelites:

The family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.

²⁶ The family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

²⁷ The family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

²⁸ The family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

²⁹ The family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

³⁰ The family of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

^31-32 The family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

³³ The family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

^34-37 The family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

^38-42 The family of Binnui: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

⁴³ The family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

⁴⁴ All these had married foreign wives and some had also had children by them.

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1 Corinthians 6:1-20 (The Message)

1 Corinthians 6

^1-4And how dare you take each other to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any sense to go before a court that knows nothing of God's ways instead of a family of Christians? The day is coming when the world is going to stand before a jury made up of followers of Jesus. If someday you are going to rule on the world's fate, wouldn't it be a good idea to practice on some of these smaller cases? Why, we're even going to judge angels! So why not these everyday affairs? As these disagreements and wrongs surface, why would you ever entrust them to the judgment of people you don't trust in any other way?

^5-6I say this as bluntly as I can to wake you up to the stupidity of what you're doing. Is it possible that there isn't one levelheaded person among you who can make fair decisions when disagreements and disputes come up? I don't believe it. And here you are taking each other to court before people who don't even believe in God! How can they render justice if they don't believe in the God of justice?

^7-8These court cases are an ugly blot on your community. Wouldn't it be far better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? All you're doing is providing fuel for more wrong, more injustice, bringing more hurt to the people of your own spiritual family.

^9-11Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. A number of you know from experience what I'm talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list. Since then, you've been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.

¹²Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims.

¹³You know the old saying, "First you eat to live, and then you live to eat"? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that's no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!

^14-15God honored the Master's body by raising it from the grave. He'll treat yours with the same resurrection power. Until that time, remember that your bodies are created with the same dignity as the Master's body. You wouldn't take the Master's body off to a whorehouse, would you? I should hope not.

^16-20There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one." Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never "become one." There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.

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Psalm 31:9-18 (The Message)

^6-13 I hate all this silly religion,
but you, God, I trust.
I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
you saw my pain,
you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn't leave me in their clutches
but gave me room to breathe.
Be kind to me, God—
I'm in deep, deep trouble again.
I've cried my eyes out;
I feel hollow inside.
My life leaks away, groan by groan;
my years fade out in sighs.
My troubles have worn me out,
turned my bones to powder.
To my enemies I'm a monster;
I'm ridiculed by the neighbors.
My friends are horrified;
they cross the street to avoid me.
They want to blot me from memory,
forget me like a corpse in a grave,
discard me like a broken dish in the trash.
The street-talk gossip has me
"criminally insane"!
Behind locked doors they plot
how to ruin me for good.

^14-18 Desperate, I throw myself on you:
you are my God!
Hour by hour I place my days in your hand,
safe from the hands out to get me.
Warm me, your servant, with a smile;
save me because you love me.
Don't embarrass me by not showing up;
I've given you plenty of notice.
Embarrass the wicked, stand them up,
leave them stupidly shaking their heads
as they drift down to hell.
Gag those loudmouthed liars
who heckle me, your follower,
with jeers and catcalls.

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Proverbs 21:3 (The Message)

³ Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors
mean far more to God than religious performance.

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Thought for the Day

“God is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 - Contemporary English Version) We all face our own problems and pain. And from time to time, they may feel overwhelmed. But before we give us and give in, we need to remember that God is our mighty fortress, and he will help us in times of trouble.

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Quote for the Day

American professional baseball player, Willie Wells wrote, "Ignorance is pitiful! If you are ignorant and stupid, you are sick - white, black, green, I don't care."

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Joke for Today

Hubby: You always carry my photo in your handbag to the office. Why?

Wife: When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem disappears.

Hubby: You see, how miraculous and powerful I am for you?

Wife: Yes, I see your picture and say to myself, "What other problem can there be greater than this one?"

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A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That college students develop the gifts and talents given to them by God.