SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER 2025 Trinity18
FIRST READING Genesis 32.22–31
A reading from the book of Genesis.
At night Jacob got up and took his two wives,
his two maids, and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
He took them and sent them across the stream,
and likewise everything that he had.
Jacob was left alone;
and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob,
he struck him on the hip socket;
and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
Then he said,
‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’
But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’
So he said to him,
‘What is your name?’
And he said, ‘Jacob.’
Then the man said,
‘You shall no longer be called Jacob,
but Israel, for you have striven with God
and with humans, and have prevailed.’
Then Jacob asked him,
‘Please tell me your name.’
But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’
And there he blessed him.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying,
‘For I have seen God face to face,
and yet my life is preserved.’
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel,
limping because of his hip.
PSALM Psalm 121
R My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth. R
3 He will not let your foot be moved
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep; R
5 The Lord himself watches over you;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night. R
7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The Lord shall watch over your going out
and your coming in,
from this time forth for evermore. R
SECOND READING 2 Timothy 3.14 – 4.5
A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy.
Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed,
knowing from whom you learned it,
and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings
that are able to instruct you for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient,
equipped for every good work.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who is to judge the living and the dead,
and in view of his appearing and his kingdom,
I solemnly urge you:
proclaim the message;
be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable;
convince, rebuke, and encourage,
with the utmost patience in teaching.
For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears,
they will accumulate for themselves
teachers to suit their own desires,
and will turn away from listening to the truth
and wander away to myths.
As for you, always be sober,
endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist,
carry out your ministry fully.
GOSPEL Luke 18.1–8
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.
He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge
who neither feared God nor had respect for people.
In that city there was a widow
who kept coming to him and saying,
“Grant me justice against my opponent.”
For a while he refused;
but later he said to himself,
“Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,
yet because this widow keeps bothering me,
I will grant her justice,
so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’
And the Lord said,
‘Listen to what the unjust judge says.
And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones
who cry to him day and night?
Will he delay long in helping them?
I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them.
And yet, when the Son of Man comes,
will he find faith on earth?’
Sunday 26 October 2025 BIBLE SUNDAY
FIRST READING Isaiah 45.22–25
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Thus says the LORD:
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.’
Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
all who were incensed against him shall come to him and be ashamed.
In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall triumph and glory.
PSALM Psalm 119.129–136
R When your word goes forth it gives light.
129 Your decrees are wonderful;
therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130 When your word goes forth it gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple. R
131 I open my mouth and pant;
I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me in mercy,
as you always do to those who love your name. R
133 Steady my footsteps in your word;
let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Rescue me from those who oppress me,
and I will keep your commandments. R
135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law. R
SECOND READING Romans 15.1–6
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak,
and not to please ourselves.
Each of us must please our neighbour
for the good purpose of building up the neighbour.
For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written,
‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’
For whatever was written in former days
was written for our instruction,so that by steadfastness
and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
May the God of steadfastness and encouragement
grant you to live in harmony with one another,
in accordance with Christ Jesus,
so that together you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL Luke 4.16–24
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
When Jesus came to Nazareth,
where he had been brought up,
he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day,
as was his custom.
He stood up to read,
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.
He unrolled the scroll
and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll,
gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.
The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to say to them,
‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’
He said to them,
‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb,
“Doctor, cure yourself!”
And you will say, “Do here also in your home town
the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’
And he said, ‘Truly I tell you,
no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town.’