Three-Year Lectionary
Study the appointed readings, prayers and resources for Series A, Series B and Series C through the Church Year.
November 8, 2026
See TodayProper 27
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
- First Reading
-
Amos 5:18–24 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light,
19 as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.(ESV)
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- Psalm
-
Psalm 70 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
O Lord, Do Not Delay
To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering.
70:1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
who say, “Aha, Aha!”
4 May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay!(ESV)
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- Epistle
-
1 Thess. 4:13–18 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
The Coming of the Lord
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
(ESV)
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- Gospel
-
Matt. 25:1–13 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
(ESV)
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Proper 27
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
About this service
The Gospel Prepares Us for Our Heavenly Bridegroom’s Coming
The Day of the Lord is “darkness, and not light” (Amos 5:18, 20) for all who trust in their own righteousness and piety. The Lord will not accept their “burnt offerings and grain offerings,” nor will He look upon their “peace offerings” (Amos 5:22). Instead, He desires a heart of faith that trusts in Him, which lets “justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24) in love for the neighbor. In order for the “lamps” of our lives to burn brightly with such love, we must be filled with the “oil” of forgiveness through faith in our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:1–4). Therefore, as we await His coming, wisdom directs us “to the dealers” (Matt. 25:9), that is, to the ministers of His Gospel. Thus we wait upon the Lord, and we “encourage one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). Waking or sleeping, we are prepared to meet Him when He comes “with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God,” and “we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16, 17).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — Three-Year Lectionary Series A (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
Source: LCMS Three-Year Series (A) Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for November 12, 2023 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord, You are our help and deliverer. We bring to You the prayers and petitions of Your people, that You may grant us all things needful and guard us against all things harmful. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, preserve Your people from believing that You are pleased with us because of our works or ceremonies. Grant that what we do in worship and prayer may proclaim salvation in Christ Jesus alone. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You bestow favor and honor and withhold nothing from those who walk uprightly. Bless parents and those who teach children Your ways, that generations to come would love Your promises, walk in Your truth and dwell in Your house. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Righteous God, You despise corruption and command justice. Embolden our rulers and all in authority to enact and defend measures that preserve peace and provide justice for all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, show mercy to those who cry aloud as they await Your Son’s coming in glory [including _____________]. Answer them with strength and healing, comfort and hope. Make them confident in Christ, who will raise His people on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, Your Son will descend from heaven with a cry of command, raise those who have fallen asleep and deliver us to Your kingdom of glory. Until that day, strengthen us by His body and blood and prepare us for His coming in glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, grant that we may not grieve as those who have no hope but rejoice and encourage each other in the promise of the resurrection to life everlasting. [Especially strengthen and comfort the families of _____________.] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of our salvation, we know neither the day nor the hour of Christ’s return, but we know that He has died and is risen again to open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Until that day, preserve us in faith and guard us from temptation. Do not let us be caught unprepared for His coming. Let us live our days in loving service and joyful expectation of the life of the world to come; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2022–2023 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for November 12, 2023 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For help and deliverance, that we may be granted all things needful and guarded against all things harmful, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For right worship, that we would not imagine God is pleased with us on account of human works or ceremonies, but proclaim in every act of worship and prayer that salvation is found in Christ’s works alone, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For parents and those who teach children the Word of God, that generations to come may love God’s promises, walk in His truth and dwell in His house, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For rulers and all in authority, that our God of righteousness would embolden them to enact and defend measures that preserve peace and provide justice for all, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who cry to the Lord, [including _____________,] that God would answer them with strength and healing, comfort and hope, and keep them in the confidence of the resurrection of the dead, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For forgiveness, life and salvation, that the Lord would descend from heaven with a cry of command, raise up those who have fallen asleep and, until that day, prepare us by the blessed Sacrament for His coming in glory, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all the faithful, [especially the families of _____________,] that none may grieve as those who have no hope but rejoice and encourage one another in the promise of the resurrection, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
God of our salvation, we know neither the day nor the hour of Christ’s return, but we know that He has died and is risen again to open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Until that day, preserve us in faith and guard us from temptation. Do not let us be caught unprepared for His coming. Let us live our days in loving service and joyful expectation of the life of the world to come; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2022–2023 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 516 Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for Last Sunday of the Church Year (One-Year and Series B and C) and Proper 27 (Series A).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, pp. 169, 170 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 514 The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us
- Distribution LSB 836 O God of Light
- Distribution LSB 636 Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness
- Closing LSB 515 Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — Three-Year Lectionary Series A 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.