Lectionary 23, Year A
Proper 18 The Sunday between September 4 and September 10 Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, the year of Matthew Green
Next read on .
The Gospel: Matthew 18:15–20
Jesus teaches a process for addressing wrongdoing within a community, ending with a promise about where two or three are gathered.
Matthew 18:15-20
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
The other readings
In the order they are read on Sunday, before the Gospel.
Ezekiel 33:7-11
God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel, responsible for warning the wicked. A text about the seriousness of the prophetic vocation.
Read it here
7 “So you, son of man: I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and give them warnings from me. 8 When I tell the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you don’t speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man will die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at your hand. 9 Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn’t turn from his way; he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul. 10 “You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: ‘You say this, “Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them. How then can we live?” ’ 11 Tell them, ‘ “As I live,” says the Lord the LORD, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why will you die, house of Israel?” ’
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 119:33-40
A prayer for understanding and faithfulness to God’s teaching.
Read it here
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes. I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in them. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways. 38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, that you may be feared. 39 Take away my disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good. 40 Behold, I long for your precepts! Revive me in your righteousness.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Romans 13:8-14
Paul’s summary of the law as love for the neighbor, and an urgent call to wake from sleep.
Read it here
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. 11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Some congregations follow the RCL’s other track this Sunday, which reads an Old Testament book straight through over several weeks: Exodus 12:1–14 and Psalm 149 in place of the first reading and psalm above.
A question to carry into the week
What is one thing Jesus says or does in this Gospel that you want to remember this week?
For your newsletter or sermon notes
This reading is told as a story on our sister site, Free Scripture, one scene at a time in plain words. The lines below are ready to paste. The next eight Sundays, and every story.
Lectionary 23 (Proper 18) · Revised Common Lectionary, Year A · the same Sunday at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Scripture text: World English Bible, public domain.
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org Used by permission.