Moses's Testament and Death, 1481-82, Luca Signorelli, Fresco at the Cappella Sistina, Vatican

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are online here. The group disbanded but the readings below follow the Revised Common Lectionary as adapted for use in Episcopal worship.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for October 25 - Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost - Track 1: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 Track 2: Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18; Psalm 1 for both: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and Matthew 22:34-46. The text is from Bible Study Tools -- New International Version. The Psalms are from the most recent print version of The Book of Common Prayer - 2016.

Track 1

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

¹ Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, ³ the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. ⁴ Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” ⁵ And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. ⁶ He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. ⁷ Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. ⁸ The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

⁹ Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, ¹¹ who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. ¹² For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

¹ Lord, you have been our refuge *
    from one generation to another.

² Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or the land and the earth were born, *
    from age to age you are God.

³ You turn us back to the dust and say, *
    "Go back, O child of earth."

⁴ For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past *
    and like a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep us away like a dream; *
    we fade away suddenly like the grass.

⁶ In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
    in the evening it is dried up and withered.

¹³ Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? *
    be gracious to your servants.

¹⁴ Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
    so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

¹⁵ Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
    and the years in which we suffered adversity.

¹⁶ Show your servants your works *
    and your splendor to their children.

¹⁷ May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; *
    prosper the work of our hands;
    prosper our handiwork.

Track 2

Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18

¹ The LORD said to Moses,

² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

¹⁵ “ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. ¹⁶ “ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.

¹⁷ “ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. ¹⁸ “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Psalm 1

¹ Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
    nor lingered in the way of sinners,
    nor sat in the seats of the scornful!

² Their delight is in the law of the LORD, *
    and they meditate on his law day and night.

³ They are like trees planted by streams of water,
    bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
    everything they do shall prosper.

⁴ It is not so with the wicked; *
    they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *
    nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, *
    but the way of the wicked is doomed.

for both

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

¹ You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. ² We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. ³ For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. ⁴ On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. ⁵ You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. ⁶ We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. ⁷ Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, ⁸ so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Matthew 22:34-46

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. ⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

    ⁴⁴ “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
       “Sit at my right hand
        until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

⁴⁵ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools and the Online Book of Common Prayer for the text.