[Propertalk] READINGS for the TENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 
9, (Proper 14, ECUSA; Proper 19, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the 
Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, 
and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised 
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  2 Samuel 18: 5 - 9, 15, 31 - 33   (RCL)

2Sam 18:5 (NRSV) The king ordered Jo'ab and Abi'shai and It'tai, saying, 
"Deal gently for my sake with the young man Ab'salom." And all the people 
heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Ab'salom.
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was 
fought in the forest of E'phraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by 
the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty 
thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the 
forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
9 Ab'salom happened to meet the servants of David. Ab'salom was riding on 
his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His 
head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and 
earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

15 And ten young men, Jo'ab's armor-bearers, surrounded Ab'salom and struck 
him, and killed him.

31 Then the Cu'shite came; and the Cu'shite said, "Good tidings for my lord 
the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the 
power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cu'shite, "Is 
it well with the young man Ab'salom?" The Cu'shite answered, "May the 
enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like 
that young man."
33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Ab'salom, my son, my son Ab'salom! 
Would I had died instead of you, O Ab'salom, my son, my son!"


2 Samuel 18: 1, 5, 9 - 15   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 18:1 (NRSV) {The Defeat and Death of Absalom} Then David mustered the 
men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and 
commanders of hundreds.

5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my 
sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king 
gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.

9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his 
mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head 
caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging {Gk Syr Tg: Heb [was put] } 
between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 A 
man saw it, and told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 11 Joab said 
to the man who told him, "What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him 
there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver 
and a belt." 12 But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the 
weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the 
king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 
saying: For my sake protect the young man Absalom! 13 On the other hand, if 
I had dealt treacherously against his life {Another reading is [at the risk 
of my life] } (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself 
would have stood aloof." 14 Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with 
you." He took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of 
Absalom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's 
armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.


1 Kings 19: 4 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

1Kin 19:4 (NRSV) But he [Elijah] himself went a day's journey into the 
wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that 
he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no 
better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell 
asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." 6 
He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar 
of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came 
a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey 
will be too much for you." 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in 
the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Ho'reb the mount of 
God.


PSALM 130   (RCL)

Psal 130:1 (NRSV) Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.


Psalm 143   Domine, exaudi   (Can. BAS)

1   Lord, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
  answer me in your righteousness.

2   Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
  for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3   For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground; *
  he has made me live in dark places like those who
  are long dead.

4   My spirit faints within me; *
  my heart within me is desolate.

5   I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds; *
  I consider the works of your hands.

6   I spread out my hands to you; *
  my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

7   O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
  do not hide your face from me
  or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

8   Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
  show me the road that I must walk,
  for I lift up my soul to you.


Psalm 34: 1 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one greter than the above.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 4: 25 - 5: 2   (RCL)
                                      Ephesians 4: 30 - 5:2   (Roman 
Catholic)

Ephe 4:25 (NRSV) So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the 
truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but 
do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make 
room for the devil. 28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor 
and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share 
with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what 
is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give 
grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with 
which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Put away 
from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, 
together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, 
forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be 
imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved 
us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 35, 41 - 51   (RCL)
                    John 6: 41 - 51   (Roman Catholic)

John 6:35 (NRSV) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes 
to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be 
thirsty.

41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the 
bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, 
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I 
have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among 
yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; 
and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the 
prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and 
learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father 
except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I 
tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 
Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is 
the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not 
die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of 
this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of 
the world is my flesh."