St. Martin's Church from the Balcony

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, January 21, are from Lectionary Year B, third Sunday after the Epiphany: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:6-14; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 and Mark 1:14-20. The text is from the New International Version

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” ³ Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

¹⁰ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Psalm 62:6-14

⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
     my hope comes from him.

⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
     he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. ⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;
     pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

⁹ Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
     the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
     together they are only a breath.

¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
     or put vain hope in stolen goods;
     though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard:
     “Power belongs to you, God,

¹² and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and,
     “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰ those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹ those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Mark 1:14-20

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.