The following are the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 25, (Proper 21) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common Worship) lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, Canadian and C of E lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day.

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 32: 1 - 3a, 6 - 15   (RCL) 

Jere 32:1 (NRSV) The word that came to Jeremi'ah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedeki'ah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrez'zar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremi'ah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, 3 where King Zedeki'ah of Judah had confined him. 

6 Jeremi'ah said, The word of the LORD came to me: 7 Han'amel son of your uncle Shal'lum is going to come to you and say, "Buy my field that is at An'athoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours." 8 Then my cousin Han'amel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, "Buy my field that is at An'athoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 
9 And I bought the field at An'athoth from my cousin Han'amel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy; 12 and I gave the deed of purchase to Bar'uch son of Neri'ah son of Mah'seiah, in the presence of my cousin Han'amel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 In their presence I charged Bar'uch, saying, 14 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land. 

Amos 6: 1a, 4 - 7   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL) 

Amos 6:1 (NRSV) Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, 
and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, 

4 Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, 
and lounge on their couches, 
and eat lambs from the flock, 
and calves from the stall; 
5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, 
and like David improvise on instruments of music; 
6 who drink wine from bowls, 
and anoint themselves with the finest oils, 
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! 
7 Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, 
and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away. 

PSALM 91: 1 - 6, 14 - 16 (RCL) 

Psal 91:1 (NRSV) You who live in the shelter of the Most High, 
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 
2 will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress; 
my God, in whom I trust." 
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler 
and from the deadly pestilence; 
4 he will cover you with his pinions, 
and under his wings you will find refuge; 
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 
5 You will not fear the terror of the night, 
or the arrow that flies by day, 
6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, 
or the destruction that wastes at noonday. 

14 Those who love me, I will deliver; 
I will protect those who know my name. 
15 When they call to me, I will answer them; 
I will be with them in trouble, 
I will rescue them and honor them. 
16 With long life I will satisfy them, 
and show them my salvation. 

91   Qui habitat  (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
 	abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
 
2  	He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
 	my God in whom I put my trust.”
 
3  	He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
 	and from the deadly pestilence.
 
4  	He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
 	his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
 
5  	You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
 	nor of the arrow that flies by day;
 
6  	Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
 	nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.

 
14  	Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
 	I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
 
15  	He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
 	I am with him in trouble;
 	I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
 
16  	With long life will I satisfy him, *
 	and show him my salvation.

Psalm 146   (alt. for RCL) 
Psalm 146: 7 - 10   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 146:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD! 
Praise the LORD, O my soul! 
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; 
I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 
3 Do not put your trust in princes, 
in mortals, in whom there is no help. 
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; 
on that very day their plans perish. 
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, 
whose hope is in the LORD their God, 
6 who made heaven and earth, 
the sea, and all that is in them; 
who keeps faith forever; 
7 who executes justice for the oppressed; 
who gives food to the hungry. 
The LORD sets the prisoners free; 
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. 
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; 
the LORD loves the righteous. 
9 The LORD watches over the strangers; 
he upholds the orphan and the widow, 
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 
10 The LORD will reign forever, 
your God, O Zion, for all generations. 
Praise the LORD! 

146   Lauda, anima mea   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
 	I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
 	I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
 
2  	Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
 	for there is no help in them.
 
3  	When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
 	and in that day their thoughts perish.
 
4  	Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
 	whose hope is in the Lord their God;
 
5  	Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
 	who keeps his promise for ever;
 
6  	Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
 	and food to those who hunger.
 
7  	The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
 	the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
 
8  	The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger; *
 	he sustains the orphan and widow,
 	but frustrates the way of the wicked.
 
9  	The Lord shall reign for ever, *
 	your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
 	Hallelujah!

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Timothy 6: 6 - 19   (RCL) 
                                    1 Timothy 6: 11 - 16   (Roman Catholic) 

1Tim 6:6 (NRSV) Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pon'tius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 
17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. 

GOSPEL: Luke 16: 19 - 31  (all) 

Luke 16:19 (NRSV) "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Laz'arus by his side. 24 He called out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Laz'arus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25 But Abraham said, "Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27 He said, "Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- 28 for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29 Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30 He said, "No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"