A reading from the Book of Joshua 1:1-18

1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying,2"My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites.3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.4From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory.5No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.6Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go.8This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.9I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people,11"Pass through the camp, and command the people: 'Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.'"12To the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said,13"Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, 'The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest, and will give you this land.'14Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan. But all the warriors among you shall cross over armed before your kindred and shall help them,15until the Lord gives rest to your kindred as well as to you, and they too take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land and take possession of it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan to the east."

16They answered Joshua: "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.17Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses!18Whoever rebels against your orders and disobeys your words, whatever you command, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous."

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 21:3-15

3We came in sight of Cyprus; and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there.4We looked up the disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.5When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed6and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.7When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the believers and stayed with them for one day.

8The next day we left and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him.9He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.10While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.11He came to us and took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"12When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.13Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."14Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, "The Lord's will be done."

15After these days we got ready and started to go up to Jerusalem.

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark 1:21-27

21They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.23Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,24and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.27They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

A reading from the Book of Joshua 2:1-14

2Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there.2The king of Jericho was told, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land."3Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land."4But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, "True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from.5And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them."6She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof.7So the men pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

8Before they went to sleep, she came up to them on the roof9and said to the men: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you.10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.11As soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below.12Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the Lord that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith13that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."14The men said to her, "Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the Lord gives us the land."

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 11:1-12

11I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?3"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life."4But what is the divine reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."5So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.6But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,8as it is written, "God gave them a sluggish spirit, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."9And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;10let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and keep their backs forever bent."11So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.12Now if their stumbling means riches for the world, and if their defeat means riches for Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 25:1-13

25"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.6But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.8The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'9But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'12But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

A reading from the Book of Joshua 2:15-24

15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself.16She said to them, "Go toward the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterward you may go your way."17The men said to her, "We will be released from this oath that you have made us swear to you18if we invade the land and you do not tie this crimson cord in the window through which you let us down, and you do not gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your family.19If any of you go out of the doors of your house into the street, they shall be responsible for their own death, and we shall be innocent; but if a hand is laid upon any who are with you in the house, we shall bear the responsibility for their death.20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be released from this oath that you made us swear to you."21She said, "According to your words, so be it." She sent them away and they departed. Then she tied the crimson cord in the window.

22They departed and went into the hill country and stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had searched all along the way and found nothing.23Then the two men came down again from the hill country. They crossed over, came to Joshua son of Nun, and told him all that had happened to them.24They said to Joshua, "Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before us."

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 11:13-24

13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry14in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save some of them.15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!16If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree,18do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.19You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.21For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.23And even those of Israel, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.24For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 25:14-30

14"For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.'21His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.'23His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed;25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'26But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

A reading from the Book of Joshua 3:1-13

3Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over.2At the end of three days the officers went through the camp3and commanded the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place. Follow it,4so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come any nearer to it."5Then Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."6To the priests Joshua said, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on in front of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people.

7The Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses.8You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"9Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God."10Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites:11the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan.12So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.13When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap."

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 11:25-36

25So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.26And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob."27"And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins."28As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors;29for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.30Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,31so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.32For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

33O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!34"For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"35"Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?"36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 25:31-46

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'37Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'40And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'41Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'44Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?'45Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

A reading from the Book of Joshua 3:14-4:7

14When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people.15Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water,16the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho.17While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.

4When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua:2"Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe,3and command them, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.'"4Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe.5Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites,6so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?'7then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever."

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 12:1-8

12I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function,5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 26:1-16

26When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,2"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,4and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.5But they said, "Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people."

6Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.8But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, "Why this waste?9For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor."10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me.11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.12By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial.13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests15and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver.16And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

A reading from the Book of Joshua 4:19-5:1,10-15

19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.

20Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal,21saying to the Israelites, "When your children ask their parents in time to come, 'What do these stones mean?'22then you shall let your children know, 'Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.'23For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over,24so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever."

5When all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them, because of the Israelites.

10While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho.11On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.12The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

13Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?"14He replied, "Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to him, "What do you command your servant, my lord?"15The commander of the army of the Lord said to Joshua, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 12:9-21

9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."20No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads."21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 26:17-25

17On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?"18He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'"19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.20When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve;21and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me."22And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely not I, Lord?"23He answered, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.24The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born."25Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so."

A reading from the Book of Joshua 6:1-14

6Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in.2The Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers.3You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days,4with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets.5When they make a long blast with the ram's horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead."

6So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark of the Lord."7To the people he said, "Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord."8As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them.9And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rear guard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually.10To the people Joshua gave this command: "You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout."11So the ark of the Lord went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp.12Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.13The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually.14On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

A reading from the Letter to the Romans 13:1-7

13Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.2Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;4for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer.5Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.6For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing.

7Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 26:26-35

26While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."27Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.29I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."30When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'32But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."33Peter said to him, "Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you."34Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."35Peter said to him, "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.