Home > Reading > Daily Reading – February 18, 2020

Is. 59:1–15

59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak to deliver you;

his ear is not too deaf to hear you.

2But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God;

your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.

3For your hands are stained with blood

and your fingers with sin;

your lips speak lies,

your tongue utters malicious words.

4No one is concerned about justice;

no one sets forth his case truthfully.

They depend on false words and tell lies;

they conceive of oppression

and give birth to sin.

5They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake

and spin a spider’s web.

Whoever eats their eggs will die,

a poisonous snake is hatched.

6Their webs cannot be used for clothing;

they cannot cover themselves with what they make.

Their deeds are sinful;

they commit violent crimes.

7They are eager to do evil,

quick to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are sinful;

they crush and destroy.

8They are unfamiliar with peace;

their deeds are unjust.

They use deceitful methods,

and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace.

9For this reason deliverance is far from us

and salvation does not reach us.

We wait for light, but see only darkness;

we wait for a bright light, but live in deep darkness.

10We grope along the wall like the blind,

we grope like those who cannot see;

we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.

Though others are strong, we are like dead men.

11We all growl like bears,

we coo mournfully like doves;

we wait for deliverance, but there is none,

for salvation, but it is far from us.

12For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds,

and our sins testify against us;

indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;

we know our sins all too well.

13We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord;

we turned back from following our God.

We stir up oppression and rebellion;

we tell lies we concocted in our minds.

14Justice is driven back;

godliness stands far off.

Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square

and morality is not even able to enter.

15Honesty has disappeared;

the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.

The Lord watches and is displeased,

for there is no justice.

(NET Bible)

Ps. 46

46:1 For the music director, by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song.

God is our strong refuge;

he is truly our helper in times of trouble.

2For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes,

and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,

3when its waves crash and foam,

and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)

4The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God,

the special, holy dwelling place of the Most High.

5God lives within it, it cannot be moved.

God rescues it at the break of dawn.

6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown.

God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.

7The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side.

The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Selah)

8Come, Witness the exploits of the Lord,

who brings devastation to the earth.

9He brings an end to wars throughout the earth.

He shatters the bow and breaks the spear;

he burns the shields with fire.

10He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God.

I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

11The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side!

The God of Jacob is our stronghold! (Selah)

(NET Bible)

John 21:1–19

21:1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Now this is how he did so. 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael (who was from Cana in Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of his were together. 3Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they replied. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4When it was already very early morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5So Jesus said to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?” They replied, “No.” 6He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they threw the net and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish.

7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it), and plunged into the sea. 8Meanwhile the other disciples came with the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.

9When they got out on the beach, they saw a charcoal fire ready with a fish placed on it, and bread. 10Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you have just now caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, 153, but although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12“Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said. But none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

15Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.” 16Jesus said a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17Jesus said a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep. 18I tell you the solemn truth, when you were young, you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19(Now Jesus said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God.) After he said this, Jesus told Peter, “Follow me.”

(NET Bible)

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.

In his Acta Augustana, 1518, Luther writes, “One thing should not be concealed from you, that in this disputation nothing is sought but the clear meaning of Scripture.” In a letter to Staupitz dated September 1, 1518, Luther expresses his joy over the fact that the young theologians are filled with zeal for the Holy Scriptures. In a writing, Concerning Freedom of the Sermon, Papal Indulgence, and Grace, June, 1518, we read, “Even though all saintly teachers had maintained this or that, it would mean nothing over against a single statement of Holy Scripture.” (15–16)

–Johann Michael Reu, Luther on the Scriptures

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

Learn More