Bible Readings - July 22, 2024

Reading 1

Second Letter of [our Holy Spirit through] Paul [in Jesus' Name] to the Corinthians 5:14-17

Brothers and sisters:

The love of Christ impels us,

once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;

therefore, all have died.

He indeed died for all,

so that those who live might no longer live for themselves

but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;

even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,

yet now we know him so no longer.

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:

the old things have passed away;

behold, new things have come.

Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9

My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

O God, you are my God whom I seek;

for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts

like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.

Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary

to see your power and your glory,

For your kindness is a greater good than life;

my lips shall glorify you.

Thus will I bless you while I live;

lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.

As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,

and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.

You are my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.

My soul clings fast to you;

your right hand upholds me.

[our Holy Spirit through] John [in Jesus' Name] 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;

I know them, and they follow me.

Gospel

[our Holy Spirit through] Matthew [in Jesus' Name] 12:33-45

“Either declare the tree good and its fruit is good,

or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten,

for a tree is known by its fruit.

You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil?

For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness,

but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account

for every careless word they speak.

By your words you will be acquitted,

and by your words you will be condemned.”

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him,

“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,

but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, 

so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days

and three nights.

At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation

and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;

and there is something greater than Jonah here.

At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation

and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth

to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater

than Solomon here.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams

through arid regions searching for rest but finds none.

Then it says, ‘I will return to my home from which I came.’

But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order.

Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits

more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there;

and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.

Thus it will be with this evil generation.”

[our Holy Spirit through] John [in Jesus' Name] 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;

I know them, and they follow me.