Lectionary 32, Year C
Proper 27 The Sunday between November 6 and November 12 Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, the year of Luke Green
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The Gospel: Luke 20:27–38
Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, ask Jesus about a woman married to seven brothers; he answers that God is God of the living, not the dead.
Luke 20:27-38
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
27 Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 28 They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 30 The second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”
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.
Job 19:23-27a
In his suffering Job wishes his words were carved in stone, and declares that his Redeemer lives and that he will see God.
Read it here
23 “Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth. 26 After my skin is destroyed, then I will see God in my flesh, 27 whom I, even I, will see on my side. My eyes will see, and not as a stranger. “My heart is consumed within me.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 17:1-9
A prayer of someone asking God to hear an honest plea and to hide them under the shadow of his wings.
Read it here
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer, that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips. 2 Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity. 3 You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey. 4 As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped. 6 I have called on you, for you will answer me, God. Turn your ear to me. Hear my speech. 7 Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings, 9 from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Paul tells the Thessalonians not to be alarmed by claims that the Lord’s day has already come, but to stand firm, for God chose them.
Read it here
1 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you 2 not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. 5 Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?
13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.
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: Haggai 1:15b—2:9 and Psalm 145:1–5, 17–21 or Psalm 98 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
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 32 (Proper 27) · Revised Common Lectionary, Year C · 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.