EPIPHANY 3    Sunday 25 January 2026

FIRST READING Isaiah 9.1–4

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

1 There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.

In the former time he brought into contempt

the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

but in the latter time he will make glorious

the way of the sea,

the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness –

on them light has shined.

3 You have multiplied the nation,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

4 For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

PSALM Psalm 27.1, 5–13

R The Lord is my light and my salvation;

[whom then shall I fear?]

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom then shall I fear?

the Lord is the strength of my life;

of whom then shall I be afraid? R

5 One thing have I asked of the Lord;

one thing I seek;

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life;

6 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple. R

7 For in the day of trouble

he shall keep me safe in his shelter;

he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling

and set me high upon a rock. R

8 Even now he lifts up my head

above my enemies round about me;

9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation

with sounds of great gladness;

I will sing and make music to the Lord. R

10 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call;

have mercy on me and answer me.

11 You speak in my heart and say, ‘Seek my face.’

Your face, Lord, will I seek. R

12 Hide not your face from me,

nor turn away your servant in displeasure.

13 You have been my helper;

cast me not away;

do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. R

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1.10–18

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,

by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that all of you be in agreement

and that there be no divisions among you,

but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people

that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.

12 What I mean is that each of you says,

‘I belong to Paul,’

or ‘I belong to Apollos,’

or ‘I belong to Cephas,’

or ‘I belong to Christ.’

13 Has Christ been divided?

Was Paul crucified for you?

Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

16 I did baptize also the household of Stephanas;

beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize

but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom,

so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness

to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved

it is the power of God.

GOSPEL Matthew 4.12–23

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,

he withdrew to Galilee.

13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 ‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,

on the road by the sea, across the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles –

16 the people who sat in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death

light has dawned.’

17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim,

‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,

he saw two brothers,

Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,

casting a net into the lake – for they were fishermen.

19 And he said to them,

‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers,

James son of Zebedee and his brother John,

in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets,

and he called them.

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues

and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom

and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST  1 February 2026

FIRST READING Malachi 3.1–5

A reading from the book of the prophet Malachi.

Thus says the LORD God:

1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me,

and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.

The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight –

indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming,

and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner 

and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi

and refine them like gold and silver,

until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD

as in the days of old and as in former years.

 Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages,the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien,and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

PSALM Psalm 24.(1–6), 7–10

Either

R The Lord of hosts,

he is the king of glory.

or

R The Lord whom you seek

will suddenly come.

[ 1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

the world and all who dwell therein.

2 For it is he who founded it upon the seas

and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep. R

3 ‘Who can ascend the hill of the Lord?

and who can stand in his holy place?’

4 ‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,

who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,

nor sworn by what is a fraud. R

5 They shall receive a blessing from the Lord

and a just reward from the God of their salvation.’

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,

of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob. R ]

7 Lift up your heads, O gates;

lift them high, O everlasting doors;

and the King of glory shall come in.

8 ‘Who is this King of glory?’

‘The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle.’ R

9 Lift up your heads, O gates;

lift them high, O everlasting doors;

and the King of glory shall come in.

10 ‘Who is he, this King of glory?’

‘The Lord of hosts,

he is the King of glory.’ R

SECOND READING Hebrews 2.14–18

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.

 Since the children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death

he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.

For it is clear that he did not come to help angels,

but the descendants of Abraham.

Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters

in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest

in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.

 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

GOSPEL Luke 2.22–40

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses,

Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

 (as it is written in the law of the Lord,

‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’),

and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord,

‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;

this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel,and the Holy Spirit rested on him.

 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death

before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple;

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law,  Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

 ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word;  for my eyes have seen your salvation,

 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’

 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.

 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,

‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

 There was also a prophet, Anna

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.

She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day.

 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favour of God was upon him.