Miracle of the Bread and Fish, 1620-23, Giovanni Lanfranco, oil on canvas at the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

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 August 2 - Tenth Sunday after Pentecost -Track 1: Genesis 32:22-31; Psalm 17:1-7,16 Track 2: Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22 for both: Romans 9:1-5 and Matthew 14:13-21. 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

Genesis 32:22-31

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³ After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. ²⁴ So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. ²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” ²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. ³⁰ So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” ³¹ The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

Psalm 17:1-7,16

¹ Hear my plea of innocence, O LORD;
    give heed to my cry; *
    listen to my prayer, which does not come from lying lips.

² Let my vindication come forth from your presence; *
    let your eyes be fixed on justice.

³ Weigh my heart, summon me by night, *
    melt me down; you will find no impurity in me.

⁴ I give no offense with my mouth as others do; *
    I have heeded the words of your lips.

⁵ My footsteps hold fast to the ways of your law; *
    in your paths my feet shall not stumble.

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

⁷ Show me your marvelous loving-kindness, *
    O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand
    from those who rise up against them.

¹⁶ But at my vindication I shall see your face; *
    when I awake, I shall be satisfied, beholding
    your likeness.

Track 2

Isaiah 55:1-5

Thus says the Lord,

¹ “Come, all you who are thirsty,
     come to the waters;

and you who have no money,
     come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk
     without money and without cost.

² Why spend money on what is not bread,
     and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
     and you will delight in the richest of fare.

³ Give ear and come to me;
     listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
     my faithful love promised to David.

⁴ See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
     a ruler and commander of the peoples.

⁵ Surely you will summon nations you know not,
     and nations you do not know will come running to you,

because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,
     for he has endowed you with splendor.”

Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22

⁸ The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, *
    slow to anger and of great kindness.

⁹ The LORD is loving to everyone *
    and his compassion is over all his works.

¹⁵ The LORD upholds all those who fall; *
    he lifts up those who are bowed down.

¹⁶ The eyes of all wait upon you, O LORD, *
    and you give them their food in due season.

¹⁷ You open wide your hand *
    and satisfy the needs of every living creature.

¹⁸ The LORD is righteous in all his ways *
    and loving in all his works.

¹⁹ The LORD is near to those who call upon him, *
    to all who call upon him faithfully.

²⁰ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; *
    he hears their cry and helps them.

²¹ The LORD preserves all those who love him, *
    but he destroys all the wicked.

²² My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; *
    let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever.

for both

Romans 9:1-5

¹ I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Matthew 14:13-21

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” ¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. ¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

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