The Word of the Lord
This Sunday's Scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. Read, reflect, and prepare your heart for worship.
This Sunday’s Readings
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 6 · Track 2
June 14, 2026
Collect Collect of the Day
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer (1979)
First Reading Exodus 19:2-8a
The Israelites had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”
7So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8The people all answered as one: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.”
They traveled from Rephidim, came into the Sinai desert, and set up camp there. Israel camped there in front of the mountain 3while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, “This is what you should say to Jacob’s household and declare to the Israelites: 4You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. 5So now, if you faithfully obey me and stay true to my covenant, you will be my most precious possession out of all the peoples, since the whole earth belongs to me. 6You will be a kingdom of priests for me and a holy nation. These are the words you should say to the Israelites.”
7So Moses came down, called together the people’s elders, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8The people all responded with one voice: “Everything that the Lord has said we will do.”
Psalm Psalm 100
Jubilate Deo
and come before his presence with a song.
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Second Reading Romans 5:1-8
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6While we were still weak, at the right moment, Christ died for ungodly people. 7It isn’t often that someone will die for a righteous person, though maybe someone might dare to die for a good person. 8But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Gospel Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
10:1Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9[Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
16“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”]
Jesus traveled among all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The size of the harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. 38Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.”
10:1He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; 3Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean; and Judas, who betrayed Jesus.
5Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. 6Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. 7As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. 9[Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. 10Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. 11Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. 12When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ 13If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. 14If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. 15I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.
16“Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. 17Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. 18They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. 20You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. 21Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. 22Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. 23Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One comes.”]
Verses 10:9-23, shown in brackets, are appointed as optional.