Scripture Readings - Old Testament Readings

Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Bible, the books written before the coming of Christ. They are divided into four groups:

  1. Books of the Law;
  2. Historical Books;
  3. Doctrinal and
  4. Prophetical.

The Old Testament scripture begins with the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch, which means the five books; also called the Torah, which means the Law. Sometimes these books are also called the Books of Moses since they are centered on the exodus and the Mosaic laws.

In the Old Testament there are also books of the history of Israel; books called the Wisdom books such as the Psalms, Proverbs, and the Book of Job; and books of the prophecies which carry the names of the Old Testament prophets. A prophet is one who speaks the Word of God by direct divine inspiration. Only secondarily does the word prophet mean one who foretells the future.

The Orthodox Church also numbers among the genuine books of the Old Testament the so-called apocryphal books, meaning literally the secret or hidden writings. Other Christians put these books in a secondary place or reject completely their being of divine inspiration.

Reading Read Time Hit Count
Isaiah 60:11-16 (Vespers – Exaltation of the Cross) 1 min 4,233
Isaiah 61:1-9 (Holy Saturday Vespers) 2 mins 5,683
Isaiah 61:10-62:5 (Holy Saturday Vespers) 1 min 5,226
Isaiah 62:10-63:3, 7-9 (Ascension Thursday Vespers) 1 min 4,848
Isaiah 63:11-64:5 (Holy Saturday Vespers) 2 mins 4,852
Isaiah 63:15-64:5, 8-9 (Vespers, Great Martyr Demetrios Myrovlitis of Thessalonika) 2 mins 3,883
Isaiah 65:8-17 (6th Thursday of Lent) 2 mins 4,346
Isaiah 66:10-24 (6th Friday of Lent) 2 mins 4,416
Isaiah 7:1-15 (2nd Friday of Lent) 2 mins 4,825
Isaiah 7:10-16; 8.1-4; 8:8-10 (Eve of the Nativity) 1 min 5,109
Isaiah 8:13-9:7 (3rd Monday of Lent) 3 mins 4,521
Isaiah 9:6-7 (Eve of the Nativity) - 5,148
Isaiah 9:9-10:4 (3rd Tuesday of Lent) 2 mins 5,702
Jeremiah 11:18-12:5;9-11;14-15 (Holy Thursday First Hour) 2 mins 5,060
Jeremiah 2:2-12 (Vespers, Great Martyr Demetrios Myrovlitis of Thessalonika) 2 mins 2,385
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Holy Saturday Vespers) 1 min 4,978
Job 1:1-12 (Holy Monday Vespers) 2 mins 4,624
Job 1:13-22 (Holy Tuesday – Vespers) 1 min 4,345
Job 2:1-10 (Holy Wednesday – Vespers) 1 min 4,216
Job 38:1-23;42:1-5 (Holy Thursday Vespers) 2 mins 5,347
Job 42:12-16 (Holy Friday Vespers) 1 min 4,630
Joel 2:12-26 (Wednesday before Lent 6th Hour) 2 mins 6,591
Joel 2:23-32 (Pentecost Vespers) 2 mins 4,880
Joel 2:28-32 (Vespers, Saint John of Kronstadt) 1 min 3,945