Bible Readings for July 20-26, 2026

Let’s read the Bible together during the next year. For the week of Monday July 20 through Sunday, July 26, the daily readings are below.

• Monday, July 20, 2026 - 2 Chr. 1:1–3:17, Rom. 6:1-23, Psalm 16:1-11, Prov. 19:20-21
• Tuesday, July 21, 2026 - 2 Chr. 4:1–6:11, Rom. 7:1-13, Psalm 17:1-15, Prov. 19:22-23
• Wednesday, July 22, 2026 - 2 Chr. 6:12–8:10, Rom. 7:14–8:8, Psalm 18:1-15, Prov. 19:24-25
• Thursday, July 23, 2026 - 2 Chr. 8:11–10:19, Rom. 8:8-21, Psalm 18:16-36, Prov. 19:26
• Friday, July 24, 2026 - 2 Chr. 11:1–13:22, Rom. 8:22-39, Psalm 18:37-50, Prov. 19:27-29
• Saturday, July 25, 2026 - 2 Chr. 14:1–16:14, Rom. 9:1-21, Psalm 19:1-14, Prov. 20:1
• Sunday, July 26, 2026 - 2 Chr. 17:1–18:34, Rom. 9:22–10:13, Psalm 20:1-9, Prov. 20:2-3

Bible Readings for July 17, 2026

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are 1 Chronicles 24:1–26:11; Romans 4:1-12; Psalm 13:1-6; and Proverbs 19:15-16. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.

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1 Chronicles 24-26:11 (The Message)

1 Chronicles 24

^1-5 The family of Aaron was grouped as follows: Aaron's sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died before their father and left no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar filled the office of priest. David assigned Zadok from the family of Eleazar and Ahimelech from the family of Ithamar and assigned them to separate divisions for carrying out their appointed ministries. It turned out that there were more leaders in Eleazar's family than in Ithamar's and so they divided them proportionately: sixteen clan leaders from Eleazar's family and eight clan leaders from Ithamar's family. They assigned the leaders by lot, treating both families alike, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among both the Eleazar and Ithamar families. ⁶ The secretary Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote down their names in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families. They took turns: One family was selected from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.
^7-18 The first lot fell to Jehoiarib,
the second to Jedaiah,
the third to Harim,
the fourth to Seorim,
the fifth to Malkijah,
the sixth to Mijamin,
the seventh to Hakkoz,
the eighth to Abijah,
the ninth to Jeshua,
the tenth to Shecaniah,
the eleventh to Eliashib,
the twelfth to Jakim,
the thirteenth to Huppah,
the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
the fifteenth to Bilgah,
the sixteenth to Immer,
the seventeenth to Hezir,
the eighteenth to Happizzez,
the nineteenth to Pethahiah,
the twentieth to Jehezkel,
the twenty-first to Jakin,
the twenty-second to Gamul,
the twenty-third to Delaiah,
and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
¹⁹ They served in this appointed order when they entered The Temple of God, following the procedures laid down by their ancestor Aaron as God, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
²⁰ The rest of the Levites are as follows:
From the sons of Amram: Shubael; from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.
²¹ Concerning Rehabiah: from his sons, Isshiah was the first.
²² From the Izharites: Shelomoth; from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.
²³ The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
^24-25 The son of Uzziel: Micah, and from the sons of Micah: Shamir. The brother of Micah was Isshiah, and from the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.
^26-27 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The son of Jaaziah: Beno. The sons of Merari from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
²⁸ From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
²⁹ From Kish: Jerahmeel, the son of Kish.
^30-31 And from the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the Levites by their families. They also cast lots, the same as their kindred the sons of Aaron had done, in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families. The families of the oldest and youngest brothers were treated the same. 

1 Chronicles 25

The Musicians for Worship

^1-7 Next David and the worship leaders selected some from the family of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for special service in preaching and music. Here is the roster of names and assignments: From the family of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah; they were supervised by Asaph, who spoke for God backed up by the king's authority. From the family of Jeduthun there were six sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah; they were supervised by their father Jeduthun, who preached and accompanied himself with the zither—he was responsible for leading the thanks and praise to God. From the family of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. These were the sons of Heman the king's seer; they supported and assisted him in his divinely appointed work. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. Under their father's supervision they were in charge of leading the singing and providing musical accompaniment in the work of worship in the sanctuary of God (Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman took their orders directly from the king). They were well-trained in the sacred music, all of them masters. There were 288 of them. ⁸ They drew names at random to see who would do what. Nobody, whether young or old, teacher or student, was given preference or advantage over another.
^9-31 The first name from Asaph's family was Joseph and his twelve sons and brothers; second, Gedaliah and his twelve sons and brothers; third, Zaccur and his twelve sons and brothers; fourth, Izri and his twelve sons and brothers; fifth, Nethaniah and his twelve sons and brothers; sixth, Bukkiah and his twelve sons and brothers; seventh, Jesarelah and his twelve sons and brothers; eighth, Jeshaiah and his twelve sons and brothers; ninth, Mattaniah and his twelve sons and brothers; tenth, Shimei and his twelve sons and brothers; eleventh, Azarel and his twelve sons and brothers; twelfth, Hashabiah and his twelve sons and brothers; thirteenth, Shubael and his twelve sons and brothers; fourteenth, Mattithiah and his twelve sons and brothers; fifteenth, Jerimoth and his twelve sons and brothers; sixteenth, Hananiah and his twelve sons and brothers; seventeenth, Joshbekashah and his twelve sons and brothers; eighteenth, Hanani and his twelve sons and brothers; nineteenth, Mallothi and his twelve sons and brothers; twentieth, Eliathah and his twelve sons and brothers; twenty-first, Hothir and his twelve sons and brothers; twenty-second, Giddalti and his twelve sons and brothers; twenty-third, Mahazioth and his twelve sons and brothers; twenty-fourth, Romamti-Ezer and his twelve sons and brothers. 

1 Chronicles 26

The Security Guards

^1-11 The teams of security guards were from the family of Korah: Meshelemiah son of Kore (one of the sons of Asaph). Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah, the firstborn, followed by Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai—seven sons. Obed-Edom's sons were Shemaiah, the firstborn, followed by Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai—God blessed him with eight sons. His son Shemaiah had sons who provided outstanding leadership in the family: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also exceptional. These all came from the line of Obed-Edom—all of them outstanding and strong. There were sixty-two of them. Meshelemiah had eighteen sons and relatives who were outstanding. The sons of Hosah the Merarite were Shimri (he was not the firstborn but his father made him first), then Hilkiah, followed by Tabaliah and Zechariah. Hosah accounted for thirteen.

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Romans 4:1-12 (The Message)

Romans 4

Trusting God

^1-3 So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things? If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we're given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. What we read in Scripture is, "Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own." ^4-5If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don't call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
^6-9David confirms this way of looking at it, saying that the one who trusts God to do the putting-everything-right without insisting on having a say in it is one fortunate man:

Fortunate those whose crimes are carted off,
whose sins are wiped clean from the slate.
Fortunate the person against
whom the Lord does not keep score.
Do you think for a minute that this blessing is only pronounced over those of us who keep our religious ways and are circumcised? Or do you think it possible that the blessing could be given to those who never even heard of our ways, who were never brought up in the disciplines of God? We all agree, don't we, that it was by embracing what God did for him that Abraham was declared fit before God?
^10-11Now think: Was that declaration made before or after he was marked by the covenant rite of circumcision? That's right, before he was marked. That means that he underwent circumcision as evidence and confirmation of what God had done long before to bring him into this acceptable standing with himself, an act of God he had embraced with his whole life.
¹²And it means further that Abraham is father of all people who embrace what God does for them while they are still on the "outs" with God, as yet unidentified as God's, in an "uncircumcised" condition. It is precisely these people in this condition who are called "set right by God and with God"! Abraham is also, of course, father of those who have undergone the religious rite of circumcision not just because of the ritual but because they were willing to live in the risky faith-embrace of God's action for them, the way Abraham lived long before he was marked by circumcision.

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Psalm 13:1-6 (The Message)

Psalm 13

A David Psalm

^1-2 Long enough, God— you've ignored me long enough.
I've looked at the back of your head
long enough. Long enough
I've carried this ton of trouble,
lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
have looked down their noses at me.

^3-4 Take a good look at me, God, my God;
I want to look life in the eye,
So no enemy can get the best of me
or laugh when I fall on my face.

^5-6 I've thrown myself headlong into your arms—
I'm celebrating your rescue.
I'm singing at the top of my lungs,
I'm so full of answered prayers.

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Proverbs 19:15-16 (The Message)

¹⁵ Life collapses on loafers;
lazybones go hungry.

¹⁶ Keep the rules and keep your life;
careless living kills.

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Thought for the Day

“I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.” (Romans 1:16 - Contemporary English Version) Those who trust in Jesus Christ can be confident of their salvation. And that's true regardless of all the distinctions we create to separate people.

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Quote for the Day

American novelist and a family therapist, Chris Crutcher wrote, “When you’re watching somebody read your material and they smile and nod, you know you’ve found that place where your experience and their experience match, even though they aren’t the same exact experience.”

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Joke for Today

Benny had told all his friends about the delicious steak he’d eaten in the Delancey Street restaurant the day before. So they decided to go down there and see if it was really as large and delicious as he said. But, much to their disappointment, the waiter brought them the tiniest steak they’d ever seen.

“See here, my good man,” Benny barked. “I was in this restaurant yesterday, and you served me a big, juicy steak, and now today, when I’ve organized a party and highly recommended this place, you serve such a small one.”

“Yes, sir,” replied the waiter. “But yesterday you were sitting by the window.”

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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 we renew our commitment to life.

Daily Lectionary Readings for July 16, 2026

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Thursday, July 16, 2026

Morning Psalm 97 1   The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;           let the many coastlands be glad! 2   Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;           righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3   Fire goes before him,           and consumes his adversaries on every side. 4   His lightnings light up the world;           the earth sees and trembles. 5   The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,           before the Lord of all the earth. 6   The heavens proclaim his righteousness;           and all the peoples behold his glory. 7   All worshipers of images are put to shame,           those who make their boast in worthless idols;           all gods bow down before him. 8   Zion hears and is glad,           and the towns of Judah rejoice,           because of your judgments, O God. 9   For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;           you are exalted far above all gods. 10  The LORD loves those who hate evil;           he guards the lives of his faithful;           he rescues them from the hand of the wicked. 11  Light dawns for the righteous,           and joy for the upright in heart. 12  Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,           and give thanks to his holy name! 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 Joshua 3:14-4:7 14When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. 15Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, 16the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan. 1When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua: 2"Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3and command them, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.'" 4Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. 5Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, 6so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' 7then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever." Second Reading Romans 12:1-8 1I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. Gospel Reading Matthew 26:1-16 1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." 3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5But they said, "Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people." 6Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, "Why this waste? 9For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor." 10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." 14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Evening Psalm 16 1   Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2   I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;           I have no good apart from you.” 3   As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,           in whom is all my delight. 4   Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;           their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out           or take their names upon my lips. 5   The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;           you hold my lot. 6   The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;           I have a goodly heritage. 7   I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;           in the night also my heart instructs me. 8   I keep the LORD always before me;           because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9   Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;           my body also rests secure. 10  For you do not give me up to Sheol,           or let your faithful one see the Pit. 11  You show me the path of life.           In your presence there is fullness of joy;           in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Evening Psalm 62 1   For God alone my soul waits in silence;           from him comes my salvation. 2   He alone is my rock and my salvation,           my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 3   How long will you assail a person,           will you batter your victim, all of you,           as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4   Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.           They take pleasure in falsehood;      they bless with their mouths,           but inwardly they curse. Selah 5   For God alone my soul waits in silence,           for my hope is from him. 6   He alone is my rock and my salvation,           my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7   On God rests my deliverance and my honor;           my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 8   Trust in him at all times, O people;           pour out your heart before him;           God is a refuge for us. Selah 9   Those of low estate are but a breath,           those of high estate are a delusion;      in the balances they go up;           they are together lighter than a breath. 10  Put no confidence in extortion,           and set no vain hopes on robbery;           if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11  Once God has spoken;           twice have I heard this:      that power belongs to God, 12       and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.      For you repay to all           according to their work.

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