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Proper 23
Closest to October 12 |
| Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always precede and
follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good
works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen. |
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Lesson |
Ruth 1:(1-7)8-19a
Elimelech's Family Goes to Moab
In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a
certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he
and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elim'elech and the name of his wife Na'omi, and
the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chil'ion; they were Eph'rathites
from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained
there. But Elim'elech, the husband of Na'omi, died, and she was left with her
two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of
the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years; and both Mahlon and Chil'ion died, so that the woman was bereft of her
two sons and her husband. Then she started with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of
Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited his
people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was, with her two
daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Na'omi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to
her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt
with the dead and with me. The LORD grant that you may find a home, each of you in the house of her
husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." But Na'omi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Have
I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a
husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this
night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore
refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me
for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me." Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her
mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and
to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following
you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your
people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so
to me and more also if even death parts me from you." And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no
more. So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they
came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women
said, "Is this Na'omi?" |
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Epistle |
2 Timothy 2:(3-7)8-15
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim
is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the
crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in
everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as
preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal.
But the word of God is not fettered. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also
may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory. The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with
him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will
deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing
about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. |
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Gospel |
Luke 17:11-19
Jesus Cleanses the Lepers
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Sama'ria and
Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a
distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the
priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising
God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a
Samaritan. Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this
foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you
well." |
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