September 28, 2025

Proper 21 (26)

First Reading: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
KJV
¹The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth** year of Nebuchadrezzar.
²For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.
³For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
⁴And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
⁵And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
⁶And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
⁷Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
⁸So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
⁹And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen* shekels of silver.
¹⁰And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
¹¹So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
¹²And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.
¹³And I charged Baruch before them, saying,
¹⁴Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.
¹⁵For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.
¹⁶Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,
¹⁷Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
¹⁸Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,
¹⁹Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
²⁰Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;
²¹And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;
²²And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
²³And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:
²⁴Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
²⁵And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
²⁶Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
²⁷Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
²⁸Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
²⁹And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
³⁰For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.
³¹For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
³²Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
³³And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
³⁴But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
³⁵And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
³⁶And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
³⁷Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
³⁸And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
³⁹And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
⁴⁰And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
⁴¹Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
⁴²For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
⁴³And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
⁴⁴Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.
Psalm: Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Psalm 146
KJV
¹Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
²Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great*: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
³Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
⁴That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
⁵That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
⁶That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
⁷Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.
⁸The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
⁹And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.
¹⁰And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.
¹¹For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
¹²Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:
¹³Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
¹⁴But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-19
KJV
¹Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
⁴He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof* cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
⁵Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.
⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing* out.
⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
¹³I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
¹⁴That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
¹⁵Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
¹⁸That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute*, willing to communicate;
¹⁹Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
²⁰O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
²¹Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. [The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.]
Gospel: Luke 16:19-31
KJV
¹And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
²And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
³Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot* dig; to beg I am ashamed.
⁴I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
⁵So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
⁶And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
⁷Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
⁸And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
⁹And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
¹⁰He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
¹¹If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
¹²And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
¹³No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot* serve God and mammon.
¹⁴And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
¹⁵And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
¹⁶The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
¹⁷And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
¹⁸Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
¹⁹There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
²⁰And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
²¹And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
²²And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also* died, and was buried;
²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
²⁴And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
²⁵But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
²⁶And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot*; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
²⁷Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
²⁸For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
²⁹Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
³⁰And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
³¹And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.