This Bible reading plan takes you through most of the Holy Scriptures each weekday of the year. Each day has three Bible readings:
You're welcome to read one, two, or all three of the readings every weekday. And if you fall behind, don't worry! You can either use the weekends to catch up or you can simply dive in to the reading for that day, even if you've missed a few days, weeks, or even months!
You can download a foldable bookmark here: 2026
6:1 Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants1 regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound2 words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and3 we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before4 Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Grace be with you.5
[1] 6:1
[2] 6:3
[3] 6:7
[4] 6:13
[5] 6:21
(ESV)
Yesterday afternoon I went out on my bike. It turned out to be a hard ride. It was hot. The wind was pretty strong in my face for most of the ride. At one point I thought about quitting and calling my wife for a ride home. Instead, I fought on and finished my 32 miles feeling much better about myself.
As I reviewed the ride in my mind, it struck me as a parable of life. Life is a gift and there is much that is wonderful and beautiful about it, even as it's a wonderful thing to be out on the bike on a sunny day. Nevertheless, life is hard. Even in the midst of wonder, beauty and joy, difficulties arise. Hardships hit us like steep hills rising ahead. Challenges confront us like riding into the teeth of a strong head wind in scorching heat.
In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul writes: "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." When I read this verse I think about Concordia's Confirmation Service. Many young people make a "good confession", committing their lives to Christ, professing their faith in God and promising to be faithful, even to the point of death.
If they are going to remain true to their confirmation vows they will have to do as Paul said and "Fight the good fight of faith." If they want to take hold of eternal life they will have to persevere in the face of many temptations, trials, and tribulations.
Paul told Timothy to pursue "righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." We pursue righteousness when we seek Christ, godliness when we are obedient to His will, faith when we immerse ourselves in God's Word, love when we put into action the love Christ has shown us, endurance when we persevere even though it is difficult to remain faithful, and gentleness when we submit to God's will for our lives. This is how we fight the good fight of faith.
My prayer for our confirmands is that they will not give up or give in, but will persevere, fighting for their faith even when it is very hard to do. My prayer is the same for you. We all face challenges, from as insignificant as finishing a difficult bike ride, to as significant as working to save a crumbling marriage or rescuing a rebellious child. When these challenges seem overwhelming, don't give up. Fight the good fight of faith. In the end it will be worth it, because you will be laying hold of eternal life.
15:1 Then the LORD said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go! 2 And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD:
“‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence,
and those who are for the sword, to the sword;
those who are for famine, to famine,
and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’
3 I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.
5 “Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,
or who will grieve for you?
Who will turn aside
to ask about your welfare?
6 You have rejected me, declares the LORD;
you keep going backward,
so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you—
I am weary of relenting.
7 I have winnowed them with a winnowing fork
in the gates of the land;
I have bereaved them; I have destroyed my people;
they did not turn from their ways.
8 I have made their widows more in number
than the sand of the seas;
I have brought against the mothers of young men
a destroyer at noonday;
I have made anguish and terror
fall upon them suddenly.
9 She who bore seven has grown feeble;
she has fainted away;
her sun went down while it was yet day;
she has been shamed and disgraced.
And the rest of them I will give to the sword
before their enemies,
declares the LORD.”
10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. 11 The LORD said, “Have I not1 set you free for their good? Have I not pleaded for you before the enemy in the time of trouble and in the time of distress? 12 Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?
13 “Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory. 14 I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.”
15 O LORD, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail?
19 Therefore thus says the LORD:
“If you return, I will restore you,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the LORD.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
[1] 15:11
(ESV)
God reassured Jeremiah that it was not a result of his failings that the LORD would not hear Jeremiah's prayers for Israel. Not even spiritual giants like Moses or Samuel could prevail in the face of Israel's stubborn impenitence. Judgment would come on them all in one form or another: pestilence, sword, famine or captivity. God states that His judgment was coming particularly because of the wickedness of King Manasseh. No one would take pity on Israel because they had rejected the LORD. What a stark contrast to God's promise to Jacob that "[I] will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted" is the threat that "I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea." Jeremiah complains that he has become a man of strife and contention, though he has harmed no one. But God tells the prophet that he intended Jeremiah's message for Israel's good, and had pleaded the prophet's cause before his enemies among the people of God. Nevertheless, there would be no turning back the judgment that was coming from Babylon, as God asked rhetorically, "Can one break iron from the north?" The fate of God's people was sealed. They would serve their enemies in a foreign land because of their sins. God's Word to Jeremiah "became a joy and the delight of my heart." But as a result of speaking God's Word, Jeremiah's pain was unceasing and his wound incurable. He questioned if God's faithfulness to him might prove deceitful, like a stream that dries up. God called Jeremiah to turn from his doubt and stop uttering worthless words. If he would do so, God would make Jeremiah like a fortified wall of bronze against which no one could prevail. God promised to deliver His prophet from the hand of the wicked.
24 Your procession is1 seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you2 who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, O God,3
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.4
31 Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his5 sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
[1] 68:24
[2] 68:26
[3] 68:28
[4] 68:30
[5] 68:35
(ESV)