Proper 27

Job 19:23-27a

23   “Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24   Oh that with an iron pen and lead
    they were engraved in the rock forever!
25   For I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26   And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27   whom I shall see for myself,
    and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
    My heart faints within me!

Psalm 17

1 Hear what is right, O LORD; consider my complaint;*
  hearken to my prayer, which does not come from lying lips.

2 Let justice for me come forth from your presence,*
  and let your eyes look upon that which is right.

3 You have tested and visited my heart in the night season.*
  If you try me you shall find no wickedness in me; my mouth shall not offend.

4 As for the works of others,*
  because of the words of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.

5 Hold my steps firmly in your paths,*
  that my footsteps may not slip.

6 I have called upon you, O God, for you will hear me;*
  incline your ear to me and hearken to my words.

7 Show your marvelous loving-kindness, you that are the Savior of those who put their trust in you*
  from the ones who resist your right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;*
  hide me under the shadow of your wings,

9 From the ungodly who assault me,*
  even from my enemies who encompass me to take away my soul.

10 They have closed their heart to pity,*
  and their mouth speaks proud things.

11 They lie waiting in my way on every side,*
  watching how they may cast me down to the ground,

12 Like a lion that is greedy for its prey,*
  and like a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them and cast them down;*
  deliver my soul from the ungodly by your sword and by your hand,

14 From those, O LORD, from those whose portion in life is of the world,*
  whose bellies you fill with your hidden treasure.

15 They have children at their desire,*
  and leave the rest of their abundance for their little ones.

16 But as for me, I will behold your presence in righteousness;*
  and when I awake and see your likeness, I shall be satisfied.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Luke 20:27-38

27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”

34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”