The following are the readings for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, October 23, (Proper 25) 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: Joel 2: 23 - 32 (RCL) 

Joel 2:23 (NRSV) O children of Zion, be glad 
and rejoice in the LORD your God; 
for he has given the early rain for your vindication, 
he has poured down for you abundant rain, 
the early and the later rain, as before. 
24 The threshing floors shall be full of grain, 
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 
25 I will repay you for the years 
that the swarming locust has eaten, 
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, 
my great army, which I sent against you. 
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, 
and praise the name of the LORD your God, 
who has dealt wondrously with you. 
And my people shall never again be put to shame. 
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, 
and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other. 
And my people shall never again 
be put to shame. 
28 Then afterward 
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; 
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 
your old men shall dream dreams, 
and your young men shall see visions. 
29 Even on the male and female slaves, 
in those days, I will pour out my spirit. 
30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls. 

Jeremiah 14: 7 - 10, 19 - 22 (alt. for RCL) 

Jere 14:7 (NRSV) Although our iniquities testify against us, 
act, O LORD, for your name's sake; 
our apostasies indeed are many, 
and we have sinned against you. 
8 O hope of Israel, 
its savior in time of trouble, 
why should you be like a stranger in the land, 
like a traveler turning aside for the night? 
9 Why should you be like someone confused, 
like a mighty warrior who cannot give help? 
Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, 
and we are called by your name; 
do not forsake us! 
10 Thus says the LORD concerning this people: 
Truly they have loved to wander, 
they have not restrained their feet; 
therefore the LORD does not accept them, 
now he will remember their iniquity 
and punish their sins. 

19 Have you completely rejected Judah? 
Does your heart loathe Zion? 
Why have you struck us down 
so that there is no healing for us? 
We look for peace, but find no good; 
for a time of healing, but there is terror instead. 
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, 
the iniquity of our ancestors, 
for we have sinned against you. 
21 Do not spurn us, for your name's sake; 
do not dishonor your glorious throne; 
remember and do not break your covenant with us. 
22 Can any idols of the nations bring rain? 
Or can the heavens give showers? 
Is it not you, O LORD our God? 
We set our hope on you, 
for it is you who do all this. 

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 35: 12 - 17 (alt. for RCL) 
Sirach 35: 15b - 17, 20 - 22a (Roman Catholic) 

12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
and as generously as you can afford.
13 For the Lord is the one who repays,
and he will repay you sevenfold.
14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it;
15 and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice;
for the Lord is the judge,
and with him there is no partiality.
16 He will not show partiality to the poor;
but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.
17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,
or the widow when she pours out her complaint.
20 The one whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted,
and his prayer will reach to the clouds.
21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,
and it will not rest until it reaches its goal;
it will not desist until the Most High responds
22 and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. 

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is different from the above. 

PSALM 65 (RCL) 

Psal 65:1 (NRSV) Praise is due to you, 
O God, in Zion; 
and to you shall vows be performed, 
2 O you who answer prayer! 
To you all flesh shall come. 
3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, 
you forgive our transgressions. 
4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near 
to live in your courts. 
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, 
your holy temple. 
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, 
O God of our salvation; 
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth 
and of the farthest seas. 
6 By your strength you established the mountains; 
you are girded with might. 
7 You silence the roaring of the seas, 
the roaring of their waves, 
the tumult of the peoples. 
8 Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; 
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. 
9 You visit the earth and water it, 
you greatly enrich it; 
the river of God is full of water; 
you provide the people with grain, 
for so you have prepared it. 
10 You water its furrows abundantly, 
settling its ridges, 
softening it with showers, 
and blessing its growth. 
11 You crown the year with your bounty; 
your wagon tracks overflow with richness. 
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, 
the hills gird themselves with joy, 
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, 
the valleys deck themselves with grain, 
they shout and sing together for joy. 

65   Te decet hymnus  (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; *
 	to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
 
2  	To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, *
 	because of their transgressions.
 
3  	Our sins are stronger than we are, *
 	but you will blot them out.
 
4  	Happy are they whom you choose
and draw to your courts to dwell there! *
 	they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,
 	by the holiness of your temple.
 
5  	Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,
O God of our salvation, *
 	O Hope of all the ends of the earth
 	and of the seas that are far away.
 
6  	You make fast the mountains by your power; *
 	they are girded about with might.
 
7  	You still the roaring of the seas, *
 	the roaring of their waves,
 	and the clamor of the peoples.
8  	Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your
		marvelous signs; *
 	you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
 
9  	You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous; *
 	the river of God is full of water.
 
10  	You prepare the grain, *
 	for so you provide for the earth.
 
11  	You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *
 	with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
 
12  	You crown the year with your goodness, *
 	and your paths overflow with plenty.
 
13  	May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *
 	and the hills be clothed with joy.
 
14  	May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *
 	let them shout for joy and sing.

Psalm 84: 1 - 7 (alt. for RCL) 

Psal 84:1 (NRSV) How lovely is your dwelling place, 
O LORD of hosts! 
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints 
for the courts of the LORD; 
my heart and my flesh sing for joy 
to the living God. 
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, 
and the swallow a nest for herself, 
where she may lay her young, 
at your altars, O LORD of hosts, 
my King and my God. 
4 Happy are those who live in your house, 
ever singing your praise. [Se'lah] 
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, 
in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 
6 As they go through the valley of Ba'ca 
they make it a place of springs; 
the early rain also covers it with pools. 
7 They go from strength to strength; 
the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 

84  Quam dilecta!   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	How dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! *
 	My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of
		the LORD;
 	my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
 
2  	The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
 	by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts,
 	my King and my God.
 
3  	Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
 	they will always be praising you.
 
4  	Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
 	whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way. 

5  	Those who go through the desolate valley will find
		it a place of springs, *
 	for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
 
6  	They will climb from height to height, *
 	and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.

Psalm 34: 1 - 2, 16 - 18, 22   (Roman Catholic) 

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times; 
his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; 
let the humble hear and be glad. 

16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers, 
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, 
and rescues them from all their troubles. 
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, 
and saves the crushed in spirit. 

22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; 
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 

Note: Verse numbering is one greater in Roman Catholic bibles 

NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Timothy 4: 6 - 8, 16 - 18 (all) 

2Tim 4:6 (NRSV) As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 

16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

GOSPEL: Luke 18: 9 - 14 (all) 

Luke 18:9 (NRSV) He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Phar'isee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Phar'isee, standing by himself, was praying thus, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."