Lectionary 24, Year B
Proper 19 The Sunday between September 11 and September 17 Revised Common Lectionary, Year B, the year of Mark Green
Next read on .
The Gospel: Mark 8:27–38
Near Caesarea Philippi, Peter declares Jesus is the Christ; Jesus foretells his death and rising and calls followers to take up their cross.
What is going on
On the road near the town of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks his disciples who people say he is, and then who they say he is. Peter answers: You are the Christ, God’s promised one.
Then Jesus begins to teach that he must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise after three days. Peter pulls him aside to argue, and Jesus tells him he is thinking the way people think, not the way God does.
Jesus says that anyone who wants to follow him must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow, and that whoever loses their life for his sake will save it.
Mark 8:27-38
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” 28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.” 29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. 31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.” 34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”
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.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The LORD’s servant describes enduring beatings and insults without turning back, trusting that God will help him and prove him right.
Read it here
4 The Lord the LORD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord the LORD has opened my ear. I was not rebellious. I have not turned back. 6 I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord the LORD will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I won’t be disappointed. 8 He who justifies me is near. Who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord the LORD will help me! Who is he who will condemn me? Behold, they will all grow old like a garment. The moths will eat them up.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 116:1-9
A song of love and thanks to the LORD, who heard a cry for help and rescued the singer from death and tears.
Read it here
1 I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. 2 Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the LORD’s name: “The LORD, I beg you, deliver my soul.” 5 The LORD is Gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful. 6 The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me. 7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
James 3:1-12
The letter of James compares the tongue to a small spark that sets a forest ablaze, warning that blessing and cursing should not come from one mouth.
Read it here
1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also. 3 Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. 4 Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. 5 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. 7 For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; 8 but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. 10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
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: Proverbs 1:20–33 and Psalm 19 or Wisdom of Solomon 7:26—8:1 in place of the first reading and psalm above.
A question to carry into the week
Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am? How would you answer today?
For your newsletter or sermon notes
These readings are told as stories 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 24 (Proper 19) · Revised Common Lectionary, Year B · 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.