Daily Readings - 17/12/2025

^49:1 Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather together that I may declare to you what lies before you in time to come.

^49:2 ‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father.

^49:8 ‘Judah, your brothers shall praise you: you grip your enemies by the neck, your father’s sons shall do you homage,

^49:9 Judah is a lion cub, you climb back, my son, from your kill; like a lion he crouches and lies down, or a lioness: who dare rouse him?

^49:10 The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between his feet, until he come to whom it belongs, to whom the peoples shall render obedience.

^71:1 In you, Yahweh, I take shelter; never let me be disgraced.

^71:2 In your righteousness rescue me, deliver me, turn your ear to me and save me!

^71:3 Be a sheltering rock for me, a walled fortress to save me! For you are my rock, my fortress.

^71:4 My God, rescue me from the hands of the wicked, from the clutches of rogue and tyrant!

^71:5 For you alone are my hope, Lord, Yahweh, I have trusted you since my youth,

^71:6 I have relied on you since I was born, you have been my portion from my mother’s womb, and the constant theme of my praise.

^71:7 To many I have seemed an enigma, but you are my firm refuge.

^71:8 My mouth is full of your praises, filled with your splendour all day long.

^71:9 Do not reject me now I am old, nor desert me now my strength is failing,

^71:10 for my enemies are uttering threats, spies hatching their conspiracy:

^71:11 ‘Hound him down now that God has deserted him, seize him, there is no one to rescue him!’

^71:12 God, do not stand aside, my God, come quickly and help me!

^71:13 Shame and ruin on those who attack me; may insult and disgrace cover those whose aim is to hurt me!

^71:14 I promise that, ever hopeful, I will praise you more and more,

^71:15 my lips shall proclaim your righteousness and power to save, all day long.

^71:16 I will come in the power of Yahweh to commemorate your righteousness, yours alone.

^71:17 God, you taught me when I was young, and I am still proclaiming your marvels.

^71:18 Now that I am old and grey, God, do not desert me; let me live to tell the rising generation about your strength and power,

^71:19 about your heavenly righteousness, God. You have done great things; who, God, is comparable to you?

^71:20 You have sent me misery and hardship, but you will give me life again, you will pull me up again from the depths of the earth,

^71:21 prolong my old age, and once more comfort me.

^71:22 I promise I will thank you on the lyre, my ever-faithful God, I will play the harp in your honour, Holy One of Israel.

^71:23 My lips shall sing for joy as I play to you, and this soul of mine which you have redeemed.

^71:24 And all day long, my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness. Shame and disgrace on those whose aim is to hurt me!

^1:1 A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:[*a]

^1:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

^1:3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother, Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

^1:4 Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,

^1:5 Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother, Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother, Obed was the father of Jesse;

^1:6 and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

^1:7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

^1:8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah,

^1:9 Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

^1:10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah;

^1:11 and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

^1:12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

^1:13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,

^1:14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud,

^1:15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob;

^1:16 and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

^1:17 The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.