Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity – 27th September 2026

Collect for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you; pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for

ever.

Amen

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 18, verses 1 to 4 and 25 to 32

The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning

the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s

teeth are set on edge”? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be

used by you in Israel. Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the

life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins who shall die.

Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way

unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their

righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have

committed, they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness

they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because

they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had

committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, “The

way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways

that are unfair?

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says

the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be

your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against

me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of

Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn,

then, and live.

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians, chapter 2, verses 1 to 13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing

in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same

mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from

selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the

same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of

God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied

himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in

human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even

death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every

name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth

and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to

the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence,

but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and

trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for

his good pleasure.

A reading from the gospel according to Matthew, chapter 21, verses 23 to 32

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to

him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and

who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if

you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they

argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did

you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for

all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he

said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and

work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind

and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go,

sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The

first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are

going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of

righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes

believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe

him.

Second Collect

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us

and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen