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 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 13 · Track 2

August 2, 2026

Collect Collect of the Day

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Collect of the Day for Proper 13, from The Book of Common Prayer (1979).

First Reading Isaiah 55:1-5

Translation: |

Thus says the Lord:

“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
4See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
5See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.”

Thus says the Lord:

“All of you who are thirsty, come to the water!
Whoever has no money, come, buy food and eat!
Without money, at no cost, buy wine and milk!
2Why spend money for what isn’t food, and your earnings for what doesn’t satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest of feasts.
3Listen and come to me; listen, and you will live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful loyalty to David.
4Look, I made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander of peoples.
5Look, you will call a nation you don’t know, a nation you don’t know will run to you
because of the Lord your God, the holy one of Israel, who has glorified you.”

Psalm Psalm 145:8-9, 15-22 · Exaltabo te, Deus

8The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *slow to anger and of great kindness.
9The Lord is loving to everyone *and his compassion is over all his works.
15The Lord upholds all those who fall; *he lifts up those who are bowed down.
16The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, *and you give them their food in due season.
17You open wide your hand *and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
18The Lord is righteous in all his ways *and loving in all his works.
19The Lord is near to those who call upon him, *to all who call upon him faithfully.
20He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; *he hears their cry and helps them.
21The Lord preserves all those who love him, *but he destroys all the wicked.
22My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; *let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever.

Psalm text from the Psalter of The Book of Common Prayer (1979). The asterisk marks the mid-verse pause. The Prayer Book Psalter numbers these verses 15-22 where the Revised Common Lectionary cites 14-21; the text is the same.

Second Reading Romans 9:1-5

Translation: |

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.

4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

I’m speaking the truth in Christ—I’m not lying, as my conscience assures me with the Holy Spirit: 2I have great sadness and constant pain in my heart. 3I wish I could be cursed, cut off from Christ if it helped my brothers and sisters, who are my flesh-and-blood relatives.

4They are Israelites. The adoption as God’s children, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises belong to them. 5The Jewish ancestors are theirs, and the Christ descended from those ancestors. He is the one who rules over all things, who is God, and who is blessed forever. Amen.

Gospel Matthew 14:13-21

Translation: |

Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds learned this, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick.

15That evening his disciples came and said to him, “This is an isolated place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16But Jesus said to them, “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.” 17They replied, “We have nothing here except five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18He said, “Bring them here to me.”

19He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves apart and gave them to his disciples. Then the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers. 21About five thousand men plus women and children had eaten.