Lectionary Readings
Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, March-09-2014
First Sunday in Lent

The Collect

First Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Make speed to help thy servants who are assaulted by manifold temptations; and, as thou knowest their several infirmities, let each one find thee mighty to save; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of Lent

Old Testament Reading

Genesis 2:4b-9,15-17
⁴This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; ⁶but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. ⁸The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. ⁹And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. ¹⁵Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." -- NKJV - AND -
Genesis 2:25-3:7
2:²⁵ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. 3:¹ Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" ² And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. -- NKJV

Psalm

Psalm 51

Miserere mei, Deus
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
     in your great compassion blot out my offences.
2Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
     and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, *
     and my sin is ever before me.
4Against you only have I sinned *
     and done what is evil in your sight.
5And so you are justified when you speak *
     and upright in your judgment.
6Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
     a sinner from my mother's womb.
7For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
     and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
8Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
     wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
9Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
     that the body you have broken may rejoice.
10Hide your face from my sins *
     and blot out all my iniquities.
11Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
     and renew a right spirit within me.
12Cast me not away from your presence *
     and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13Give me the joy of your saving help again *
     and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
14I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
     and sinners shall return to you.
15Deliver me from death, O God, *
     and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
     O God of my salvation.
16Open my lips, O Lord, *
     and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
17Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
     but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.
18The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
     a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
19Be favorable and gracious to Zion, *
     and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
20Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices,
     with burnt-offerings and oblations; *
     then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.

- OR -
Psalm 51:1-13

1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
     in your great compassion blot out my offences.
2Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
     and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, *
     and my sin is ever before me.
4Against you only have I sinned *
     and done what is evil in your sight.
5And so you are justified when you speak *
     and upright in your judgment.
6Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
     a sinner from my mother's womb.
7For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
     and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
8Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
     wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
9Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
     that the body you have broken may rejoice.
10Hide your face from my sins *
     and blot out all my iniquities.
11Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
     and renew a right spirit within me.
12Cast me not away from your presence *
     and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13Give me the joy of your saving help again *
     and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

New Testament Reading

Romans 5:12-19(20-21)
¹²Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned- ¹³(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. (²⁰Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ) -- NKJV

Gospel Reading

Matthew 4:1-11
¹Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." ⁴But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" ⁵Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ' He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, ' In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" ⁷Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" ⁸Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." ¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" ¹¹Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. -- NKJV