Daily Lectionary Readings for April 16, 2026

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Thursday, April 16, 2026

Morning Psalm 47 1   Clap your hands, all you peoples;           shout to God with loud songs of joy. 2   For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,           a great king over all the earth. 3   He subdued peoples under us,           and nations under our feet. 4   He chose our heritage for us,           the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah 5   God has gone up with a shout,           the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. 6   Sing praises to God, sing praises;           sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7   For God is the king of all the earth;           sing praises with a psalm. 8   God is king over the nations;           God sits on his holy throne. 9   The princes of the peoples gather           as the people of the God of Abraham.      For the shields of the earth belong to God;           he is highly exalted. Morning Psalm 147:12-20 12  Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!           Praise your God, O Zion! 13  For he strengthens the bars of your gates;           he blesses your children within you. 14  He grants peace within your borders;           he fills you with the finest of wheat. 15  He sends out his command to the earth;           his word runs swiftly. 16  He gives snow like wool;           he scatters frost like ashes. 17  He hurls down hail like crumbs —           who can stand before his cold? 18  He sends out his word, and melts them;           he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow. 19  He declares his word to Jacob,           his statutes and ordinances to Israel. 20  He has not dealt thus with any other nation;           they do not know his ordinances.      Praise the Lord! First Reading Exodus 16:10-22 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12"I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'" 13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. 16This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.'" 17The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it over until morning." 20But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. 21Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, Second Reading 1 Peter 2:11-3:12 11Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge. 13For the Lord's sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15For it is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. 19For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. 21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1Wives, in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives' conduct, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; 4rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God's sight. 5It was in this way long ago that the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves by accepting the authority of their husbands. 6Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters as long as you do what is good and never let fears alarm you. 7Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious gift of life - so that nothing may hinder your prayers. 8Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called - that you might inherit a blessing. 10For "Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Gospel Reading John 15:12-27 12"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. 18"If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. 19If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world - therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you, 'Servants are not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.' 26"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning." Evening Psalm 68 1   Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;           let those who hate him flee before him. 2   As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;           as wax melts before the fire,           let the wicked perish before God. 3   But let the righteous be joyful;           let them exult before God;           let them be jubilant with joy. 4   Sing to God, sing praises to his name;           lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds —      his name is the LORD —           be exultant before him. 5   Father of orphans and protector of widows           is God in his holy habitation. 6   God gives the desolate a home to live in;           he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,           but the rebellious live in a parched land. 7   O God, when you went out before your people,           when you marched through the wilderness, Selah 8   the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain           at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,           at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9   Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;           you restored your heritage when it languished; 10  your flock found a dwelling in it;           in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 11  The Lord gives the command;           great is the company of those who bore the tidings 12       “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”      The women at home divide the spoil, 13       though they stay among the sheepfolds —      the wings of a dove covered with silver,           its pinions with green gold. 14  When the Almighty scattered kings there,           snow fell on Zalmon. 15  O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;           O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! 16  Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,           at the mount that God desired for his abode,           where the LORD will reside for ever? 17  With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,           thousands upon thousands,           the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place. 18  You ascended the high mount,           leading captives in your train           and receiving gifts from people,      even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there. 19  Blessed be the Lord,           who daily bears us up;           God is our salvation. Selah 20  Our God is a God of salvation,           and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death. 21  But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,           the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways. 22  The Lord said,           “I will bring them back from Bashan,      I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 23  so that you may bathe your feet in blood,           so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.” 24  Your solemn processions are seen, O God,           the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary — 25  the singers in front, the musicians last,           between them girls playing tambourines: 26  “Bless God in the great congregation,           the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!” 27  There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,           the princes of Judah in a body,           the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 28  Summon your might, O God;           show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before. 29  Because of your temple at Jerusalem           kings bear gifts to you. 30  Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,           the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.      Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;           scatter the peoples who delight in war. 31  Let bronze be brought from Egypt;           let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God. 32  Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;           sing praises to the Lord, Selah 33  O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;           listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 34  Ascribe power to God,           whose majesty is over Israel;           and whose power is in the skies. 35  Awesome is God in his sanctuary,           the God of Israel;           he gives power and strength to his people.      Blessed be God! Evening Psalm 113 1   Praise the LORD!      Praise, O servants of the LORD;           praise the name of the LORD. 2   Blessed be the name of the LORD           from this time on and forevermore. 3   From the rising of the sun to its setting           the name of the LORD is to be praised. 4   The LORD is high above all nations,           and his glory above the heavens. 5   Who is like the LORD our God,           who is seated on high, 6   who looks far down           on the heavens and the earth? 7   He raises the poor from the dust,           and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8   to make them sit with princes,           with the princes of his people. 9   He gives the barren woman a home,           making her the joyous mother of children.      Praise the LORD!

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

Bible Readings for April 16, 2026

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Joshua 13:1–14:15; Luke 18:1-17; Psalm 85:1-13; and Proverbs 13:7-8. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.

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Joshua 13-14:15 (The Message)

Joshua 13

The Receiving of the Land

^1-6When Joshua had reached a venerable age, God said to him, "You've had a good, long life, but there is a lot of land still to be taken. This is the land that remains: all the districts of the Philistines and Geshurites; the land from the Shihor River east of Egypt to the border of Ekron up north, Canaanite country (there were five Philistine tyrants—in Gaza, in Ashdod, in Ashkelon, in Gath, in Ekron); also the Avvim from the south; all the Canaanite land from Arah (belonging to the Sidonians) to Aphek at the Amorite border; the country of the Gebalites; all Lebanon eastward from Baal Gad in the shadow of Mount Hermon to the Entrance of Hamath; all who live in the mountains, from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim; all the Sidonians.
^6-7 "I myself will drive them out before the People of Israel. All you have to do is allot this land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have instructed you. Do it now: Allot this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh." 

Land East of the Jordan

⁸ The other half-tribe of Manasseh, with the Reubenites and Gadites, had been given their inheritance by Moses on the other side of the Jordan eastward. Moses the servant of God gave it to them. ^9-13 This land extended from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the city in the middle of the valley, taking in the entire tableland of Medeba as far as Dibon, and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, and out to the border of the Ammonites. It also included Gilead, the country of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah—the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He was one of the last survivors of the Rephaim. Moses had defeated them and taken their land. The People of Israel never did drive out the Geshurites and the Maacathites—they're still there, living in Israel.
¹⁴ Levi was the only tribe that did not receive an inheritance. The Fire-Gift-Offerings to God, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as he told them. 

Reuben

^15-22 To the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan, Moses gave:
the land from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the town in the middle of the valley, including the tableland around Medeba;
Heshbon on the tableland with all its towns (Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on Valley Mountain, Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth);
and all the cities of the tableland, the whole kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon, whom Moses put to death along with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who lived in that country, all puppets of Sihon. (In addition to those killed in battle, Balaam son of Beor, the soothsayer, was put to death by the People of Israel.) ²³ The boundary for the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan River. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites, their villages and cities, according to their clans. 

Gad

^24-27 To the tribe of Gad, clan by clan, Moses gave:
the territory of Jazer and all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer near Rabbah;
the land from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the region of Debir;
in the valley: Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, north to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth). ²⁸ This was the inheritance of the Gadites, their cities and villages, clan by clan. 

Half-Tribe of Manasseh

^29-31 To the half-tribe of Manasseh, clan by clan, Moses gave:
the land stretching out from Mahanaim;
all of Bashan, which is the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the settlements of Jair in Bashan—sixty towns in all.
Half of Gilead with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan, belong to the descendants of Makir, a son of Manasseh (in other words, the half-tribe of the children of Makir) for their clans. ^32-33 This is the inheritance that Moses gave out when he was on the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho. But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. God, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he told them. 

Joshua 14

Land West of the Jordan

^1-2Here are the inheritance allotments that the People of Israel received in the land of Canaan. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the family clans made the allotments. Each inheritance was assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, just as God had commanded Moses. ^3-4 Moses had given the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan, but hadn't given an inheritance to the Levites, as he had to the others. Because the sons of Joseph had become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, they gave no allotment to the Levites; but they did give them cities to live in with pasture rights for their flocks and herds.
⁵ The People of Israel followed through exactly as God had commanded Moses. They apportioned the land. 

Caleb

^6-12 The people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite spoke: "You'll remember what God said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me back at Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of God sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. And I brought back an honest and accurate report. My companions who went with me discouraged the people, but I stuck to my guns, totally with God, my God. That was the day that Moses solemnly promised, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance, you and your children's, forever. Yes, you have lived totally for God.' Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since God spoke this word to Moses, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I'm as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this hill country that God promised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just as Godsaid." ^13-14 Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, because he gave himself totally to God, the God of Israel.
¹⁵ The name of Hebron used to be Kiriath Arba, named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.
And the land had rest from war.

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Luke 18:1-17 (The Message)

Luke 18

The Story of the Persistent Widow

^1-3Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

^4-5"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'"

^6-8Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"

The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee

^9-12He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'

¹³"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"

¹⁴Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

^15-17People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."

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Psalm 85:1-13 (The Message)

Psalm 85

A Korah Psalm

^1-3 God, you smiled on your good earth! You brought good times back to Jacob!
You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people,
you put their sins far out of sight.
You took back your sin-provoked threats,
you cooled your hot, righteous anger.
^4-7 Help us again, God of our help;
don't hold a grudge against us forever.
You aren't going to keep this up, are you?
scowling and angry, year after year?
Why not help us make a fresh start—a resurrection life?
Then your people will laugh and sing!
Show us how much you love us, God!
Give us the salvation we need!

^8-9 I can't wait to hear what he'll say.
God's about to pronounce his people well,
The holy people he loves so much,
so they'll never again live like fools.
See how close his salvation is to those who fear him?
Our country is home base for Glory!

^10-13 Love and Truth meet in the street,
Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!
Truth sprouts green from the ground,
Right Living pours down from the skies!
Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;
our land responds with Bounty and Blessing.
Right Living strides out before him,
and clears a path for his passage.

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Proverbs 13:7-8 (The Message)

⁷ A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
a plain and simple life is a full life.

⁸ The rich can be sued for everything they have,
but the poor are free of such threats.

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Thought for the Day

“Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands.” (Romans 13:8 - Contemporary English Version) Love is the summation of the Law. When we decide to treat others in a loving way, we are doing everything God expects us to do. 

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Quote for the Day

Taiwanese actress and filmmaker, Shu Qi wrote, "Having no competition is a bad thing. Competition makes you try to improve yourself all the time."

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Joke for Today

Two young engineers applied for a single position at a computer company.

They both had the same qualifications. In order to determine which individual to hire, the applicants were asked to take a test by the Department manager.

Upon completion of the test, both men missed only one of the questions.

The manager went to the first applicant and said, "Thank you for your interest, but we've decided to give the job to the other applicant."

"And why would you be doing that? We both got 9 questions correct," asked the rejected applicant.

"We have based our decision not on the correct answers, but on the question you missed," said the Department manager.

"And just how would one incorrect answer be better than the other?" the rejected applicant inquired.

"Simple," said the Department manager, "Your fellow applicant put down on question #5, 'I don't know.' You put down, 'Neither do I.'"

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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 doctors and nurses claim and use the skills given to them by God.