The following are the readings for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, July 4, (Proper 9, ECUSA; Proper 14, 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 does not use the alternative RCL readings.

OLD TESTAMENT:  2 Samuel 5: 1 - 5, 9 - 10   (RCL)

2Sam 5:1 (NRSV) Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at He'bron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. 2 For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel." 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at He'bron; and King David made a covenant with them at He'bron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At He'bron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 

9 David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Mil'lo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. 

Ezekiel 2: 2 - 5   (Roman Catholic)
Ezekiel 2: 1 - 5   (alt. for RCL)

Ezek 2:1 (NRSV) He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. 2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." 5 Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. 6 And you, O mortal, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house. 

PSALM 48   (RCL)

Psal 48:1 (NRSV) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised 
in the city of our God. 
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, 
is the joy of all the earth, 
Mount Zion, in the far north, 
the city of the great King. 
3 Within its citadels God 
has shown himself a sure defense. 
4 Then the kings assembled, 
they came on together. 
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; 
they were in panic, they took to flight; 
6 trembling took hold of them there, 
pains as of a woman in labor, 
7 as when an east wind shatters 
the ships of Tar'shish. 
8 As we have heard, so have we seen 
in the city of the LORD of hosts, 
in the city of our God, 
which God establishes forever. [Se'lah] 
9 We ponder your steadfast love, O God, 
in the midst of your temple. 
10 Your name, O God, like your praise, 
reaches to the ends of the earth. 
Your right hand is filled with victory. 
11 Let Mount Zion be glad, 
let the towns of Judah rejoice 
because of your judgments. 
12 Walk about Zion, go all around it, 
count its towers, 
13 consider well its ramparts; 
go through its citadels, 
that you may tell the next generation 
14 that this is God, 
our God forever and ever. 
He will be our guide forever. 

48   Magnus Dominus      (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; *
 	in the city of our God is his holy hill.
 
2  	Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the
		hill of Zion, *
 	the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
 
3  	God is in her citadels; *
 	he is known to be her sure refuge.
 
4  	Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *
 	and marched forward together.
 
5  	They looked and were astounded; *
 	they retreated and fled in terror.
 
6  	Trembling seized them there; *
 	they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
 	like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
 
7  	As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; *
 	God has established her for ever.
 
8  	We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *
 	in the midst of your temple.
 
9  	Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to
the world's end; *
 	your right hand is full of justice.
 
10  	Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
 	because of your judgments.
 
11  	Make the circuit of Zion;
walk round about her; *
 	count the number of her towers.

12  	Consider well her bulwarks;
examine her strongholds; *
 	that you may tell those who come after.
 
13  	This God is our God for ever and ever; *
 	he shall be our guide for evermore.

Psalm 123   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 123:1 (NRSV) To you I lift up my eyes, 
O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 
2 As the eyes of servants 
look to the hand of their master, 
as the eyes of a maid 
to the hand of her mistress, 
so our eyes look to the LORD our God, 
until he has mercy upon us. 
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, 
for we have had more than enough of contempt. 
4 Our soul has had more than its fill 
of the scorn of those who are at ease, 
of the contempt of the proud. 

123   Ad te levavi oculos meos   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	To you I lift up my eyes, *
 to you enthroned in the heavens.
 
2  	As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
 and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
 
3  	So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *
 until he show us his mercy.
 
4  	Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *
 for we have had more than enough of contempt,
 
5  	Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
 and of the derision of the proud.

NEW TESTAMENT:  2 Corinthians 12: 2 - 10   (RCL)
                                     2 Corinthians 12: 7 - 10   (Roman Catholic)

2Cor 12:2 (NRSV) I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. 3 And I know that such a person--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows-- 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. 5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, 7 even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. 

GOSPEL:   Mark 6: 1 - 13   (RCL)
                   Mark 6: 1 - 6   (Roman Catholic)

Mark 6:1 (NRSV) He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Jo'ses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. 
Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.