Daily readings

Friday, January 23, 2026

Friday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

CelebrationFriday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time

TypeWeekday

SeasonOrdinary Time

Year2026 archive

The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.

Reading mode

Plain mode helps modern readers follow the text more easily.

On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.

1

First Reading

1 Samuel 24:3-21

How to approach it

Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.

3Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.

4And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.

5And the servants of David said to him: Look the day, of which the Lord said to you: I will deliver your enemy to you, that you may do to him as it shall seem good in your eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.

6After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.

7And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.

8And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.

9And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,

10And said to Saul: Why do you hear the words of men that say David seeketh your hurt?

11Look this day your eyes have seen, that the Lord has rescued you into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill you, but my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.

12Moreover see and know, OH my father, the hem of your robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of your robe, I would not put out my hand against you. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor sin, neither have I sinned against you: but you liest in wait for my life, to take it away.

13The Lord judge between me and you, and the Lord revenge me of you: but my hand shall not be upon you.

14As also it is said in the old proverb: From the evil shall evil come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon you. After whom do you come out, OH king of Israel?

15After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.

16Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.

17And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

18And he said to David: You art more righteous than I: for you have done good to me, and I have rewarded you with evil.

19And you have shewn this day what good things you have done to me: how the Lord rescued me into your hand, and you have not killed me.

20For who when he has found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward you for this good turn, for what you have done to me this day.

21And now as I know that you shall surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in your hand:

2

Psalm

Psalm 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11

How to pray it

The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.

2Have mercy on me, OH God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in you. And in the shadow of your wings will I hope, until sin pass away.

3I will cry to God the most High; to God who has done good to me.

4He has sent from heaven and rescued me: he has made them a shame that trod upon me. God has sent his mercy and his truth,

3

Gospel

Mark 3:13-19

What to watch for

The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.

13And going up into a mountain, he called to him whom he would himself: and they came to him.

14And he made that twelve should be with him, and that he might send them to preach.

15And he gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

16And to Simon he gave the name Peter:

17And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he named them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

18And Andrew and Philip, and Bartholomew and Matthew, and Thomas and James of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Cananean:

19And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Source note

This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.