09/04/2026
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 18
Ezekiel 33:(1-6)7-11
Psalm 119:33-48 or 119:33-40
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 18:15-20
The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, we pray thee, to trust in thee with all our heart; seeing that, as thou dost alway resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so thou dost not forsake those who make their boast of thy mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Old Testament
Ezekiel 33:(1-6)7-11
33 (The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman; 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people; 4 then if any one who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes, and takes any one of them; that man is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.)
7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
The Psalm
Psalm 119
V. Legem pone.
TEACH me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes, * and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; * yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; * for therein is my desire.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, * and not to covetousness.
37 O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity; * and quicken thou me in thy way.
38 O stablish thy word in thy servant, * that I may fear thee.
39 Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of; * for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, my delight is in thy commandments; * O quicken me in thy righteousness.
VI. Et veniat super me.
LET thy loving mercy come also unto me, O LORD, * even thy salvation, according unto thy word.
42 So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers; * for my trust is in thy word.
43 O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth; * for my hope is in thy judgments.
44 So shall I alway keep thy law; * yea, for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty; * for I seek thy commandments.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also, even before kings, * and will not be ashamed.
47 And my delight shall be in thy commandments, * which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; * and my study shall be in thy statutes.
The New Testament
Romans 12:9-21
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”