Lectionary 25, Year B
Proper 20 The Sunday between September 18 and September 24 Revised Common Lectionary, Year B, the year of Mark Green
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The Gospel: Mark 9:30–37
Jesus again foretells his death and rising, and when the disciples argue over who is greatest, he places a little child among them.
What is going on
Passing through Galilee, Jesus tells his disciples a second time that he will be killed and rise again. They do not understand, and they are afraid to ask.
On the way, they argue with one another about who is the greatest.
Jesus sits down and tells them that whoever wants to be first must be last and the servant of all. Then he takes a little child in his arms and says that whoever welcomes a child like this in his name welcomes him.
Mark 9:30-37
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
30 They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it. 31 For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.” 32 But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36 He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
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.
Wisdom of Solomon 1:16—2:1, 12-22 or Jeremiah 11:18-20
Jeremiah learns that people are plotting to kill him, like a lamb led to slaughter, and he asks the LORD, who judges fairly, to punish them.
Read it here
The text appointed for this first reading isn’t in our library in this translation. Shown here is the Revised Common Lectionary’s own alternate: Jeremiah.
18 The LORD gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plans against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.” 20 But, the LORD of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 54
A prayer for God to save and defend against violent enemies, with thanks for deliverance from all trouble.
Read it here
1 Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might. 2 Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. 4 Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul. 5 He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth. 6 With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, the LORD, for it is good. 7 For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
James 3:13—4:3, 7-8a
The letter of James contrasts selfish ambition with the peaceful, gentle wisdom from above, and urges readers to draw near to God, who will draw near to them.
Read it here
Chapter 3
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Chapter 4
1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. 3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Chapter 4
7 Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.
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 31:10–31 and Psalm 1 in place of the first reading and psalm above.
A question to carry into the week
Jesus put a child in the middle of the argument. Who is the easiest person to overlook in your 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 25 (Proper 20) · 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.