The following are the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 12, (Proper 19, ECUSA; Proper 24, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this Sunday. Note that the Canadian BAS Lectionary does not include the RCL alternate readings.

OLD TESTAMENT:  Proverbs 1: 20 - 33   (RCL)

Prov 1:20 (NRSV) Wisdom cries out in the street; 
in the squares she raises her voice. 
21 At the busiest corner she cries out; 
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 
22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? 
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing 
and fools hate knowledge? 
23 Give heed to my reproof; 
I will pour out my thoughts to you; 
I will make my words known to you. 
24 Because I have called and you refused, 
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, 
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel 
and would have none of my reproof, 
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; 
I will mock when panic strikes you, 
27 when panic strikes you like a storm, 
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, 
when distress and anguish come upon you. 
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; 
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. 
29 Because they hated knowledge 
and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 
30 would have none of my counsel, 
and despised all my reproof, 
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way 
and be sated with their own devices. 
32 For waywardness kills the simple, 
and the complacency of fools destroys them; 
33 but those who listen to me will be secure 
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster." 

Isaiah 50: 4 - 9a   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Isai 50:4 (NRSV) The Lord GOD has given me 
the tongue of a teacher, 
that I may know how to sustain 
the weary with a word. 
Morning by morning he wakens-- 
wakens my ear 
to listen as those who are taught. 
5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, 
and I was not rebellious, 
I did not turn backward. 
6 I gave my back to those who struck me, 
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; 
I did not hide my face 
from insult and spitting. 
7 The Lord GOD helps me; 
therefore I have not been disgraced; 
therefore I have set my face like flint, 
and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 
8 he who vindicates me is near. 
Who will contend with me? 
Let us stand up together. 
Who are my adversaries? 
Let them confront me. 
9 It is the Lord GOD who helps me; 
who will declare me guilty? 
All of them will wear out like a garment; 
the moth will eat them up. 

PSALM 19   (RCL)

Psal 19:1 (NRSV) The heavens are telling the glory of God; 
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 
2 Day to day pours forth speech, 
and night to night declares knowledge. 
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; 
their voice is not heard; 
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, 
and their words to the end of the world. 
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, 
and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, 
and its circuit to the end of them; 
and nothing is hid from its heat. 
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, 
reviving the soul; 
the decrees of the LORD are sure, 
making wise the simple; 
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, 
rejoicing the heart; 
the commandment of the LORD is clear, 
enlightening the eyes; 
9 the fear of the LORD is pure, 
enduring forever; 
the ordinances of the LORD are true 
and righteous altogether. 
10 More to be desired are they than gold, 
even much fine gold; 
sweeter also than honey, 
and drippings of the honeycomb. 
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; 
in keeping them there is great reward. 
12 But who can detect their errors? 
Clear me from hidden faults. 
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me. 
Then I shall be blameless, 
and innocent of great transgression. 
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 
be acceptable to you, 
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

19   Caeli enarrant    (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	The heavens declare the glory of God, *
 	and the firmament shows his handiwork.
 
2  	One day tells its tale to another, *
 	and one night imparts knowledge to another.
 
3  	Although they have no words or language, *
 	and their voices are not heard,
 
4  	Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
 	and their message to the ends of the world.
 
5  	In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
 	it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
 	it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

6  	It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
 	nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

7  	The law of the Lord is perfect
		and revives the soul; *
 	the testimony of the Lord is sure
		and gives wisdom to the innocent.
 
8  	The statutes of the Lord are just
		and rejoice the heart; *
 	the commandment of the Lord is clear
		and gives light to the eyes.
 
9  	The fear of the Lord is clean
		and endures for ever; *
 	the judgments of the Lord are true
		and righteous altogether.
 
10  	More to be desired are they than gold,
		more than much fine gold, *
 	sweeter far than honey,
		than honey in the comb.
 
11  	By them also is your servant enlightened, *
 	and in keeping them there is great reward.
 
12  	Who can tell how often he offends? *
 	cleanse me from my secret faults.
 
13  	Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
 	then shall I be whole and sound,
 	and innocent of a great offense.
 
14  	Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
		heart be acceptable in your sight, *
 	O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Wisdom of Solomon 7: 26 - 8:1   (alt. for RCL)

7:26 (NRSV) For she [Wisdom] is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
27 Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
28 for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
29 She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
30 for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
8:1 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.

Psalm 116: 1 - 9   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 116:1 (NRSV) I love the LORD, because he has heard 
my voice and my supplications. 
2 Because he inclined his ear to me, 
therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 
3 The snares of death encompassed me; 
the pangs of She'ol laid hold on me; 
I suffered distress and anguish. 
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: 
"O LORD, I pray, save my life!" 
5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; 
our God is merciful. 
6 The LORD protects the simple; 
when I was brought low, he saved me. 
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest, 
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 
8 For you have delivered my soul from death, 
my eyes from tears, 
my feet from stumbling. 
9 I walk before the LORD 
in the land of the living. 

Note: Verse numbering in the ECUSA Psalter is different from the above.

116   Dilexi, quoniam   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of
		my supplication, *
 because he has inclined his ear to me whenever
		I called upon him.
 
2  	The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
 I came to grief and sorrow.
 
3  	Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *
 "O Lord, I pray you, save my life."
 
4  	Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *
 our God is full of compassion.
 
5  	The Lord watches over the innocent; *
 I was brought very low, and he helped me.
 
6  	Turn again to your rest, O my soul. *
 for the Lord has treated you well.
 
7  	For you have rescued my life from death, *
 my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
 
8  	I will walk in the presence of the Lord *
 in the land of the living.

NEW TESTAMENT:   James 3: 1 - 12   (RCL)

Jame 3:1 (NRSV) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. 
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. 

James 2: 14 - 18   (Roman Catholic)

Jame 2:14 (NRSV) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 
18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 

GOSPEL:   Mark 8: 27 - 38   (all)

Mark 8:27 (NRSV) Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesare'a Philip'pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Eli'jah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 
34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."