Easter

Wednesday in Easter

Wednesday, April 7, 2027

FIRST READING

Isaiah 26:1-15

Verse 1. In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation is established as its walls and ramparts. Verse 2. Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter— one that remains faithful. Verse 3. You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. Verse 4. Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal. Verse 5. For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust. Verse 6. Feet trample it down — the feet of the oppressed, the steps of the poor. Verse 7. The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the upright. Verse 8. Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls. Verse 9. My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Verse 10. Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. Verse 11. O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them! Verse 12. O LORD, You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us. Verse 13. O LORD our God, other lords besides You have ruled over us, but Your name alone do we confess. Verse 14. The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them. Verse 15. You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; You have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for Yourself; You have extended all the borders of the land.

PSALM

Psalm 135

Verse 1. Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD,
Verse 2. who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.
Verse 3. Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
Verse 4. For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession.
Verse 5. For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
Verse 6. The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.
Verse 7. He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
Verse 8. He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.
Verse 9. He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
Verse 10. He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings:
Verse 11. Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan.
Verse 12. He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel.
Verse 13. Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, through all generations.
Verse 14. For the LORD will vindicate His people and will have compassion on His servants.
Verse 15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Verse 16. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
Verse 17. they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths.
Verse 18. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.
Verse 19. O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;
Verse 20. O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
Verse 21. Blessed be the LORD from Zion — He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

SECOND READING

Mark 12:18-27

Verse 18. Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him: Verse 19. “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. Verse 20. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children. Verse 21. Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise. Verse 22. In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died. Verse 23. In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.” Verse 24. Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? Verse 25. When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven. Verse 26. But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? Verse 27. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”