Old Testament
The Book of Amos
The Book of Amos is the thirty-fifth of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 9 chapters and 146 verses.
About Amos
About Amos · Prophetic oracles
Amos was a shepherd and dresser of sycamores from Judah, sent north to a booming Israel to say that its worship was noise because its markets were crooked. He preached about a generation before the northern kingdom fell, and his book is the fiercest social preaching in the Bible: God rejects festivals kept by people who sell the poor for a pair of sandals. It was written to make injustice a religious category, and its demand that judgment run down like water has never stopped being quoted.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 35 of 46, 35 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 9 |
| Verses | 146, as Bless numbers them |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, 8 of 9 chapters |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 9 chapters · 22 notes |
| Catechism | 6 paragraphs cite it |
Chapter by chapter
All 9 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Amos 1
15 versesThe prophet threatens Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon with the judgments of God, for their obstinacy in sin.
Amos 2
16 versesThe judgments with which God threatens Moab, Juda, and Israel for their sins, and their ingratitude.
Amos 3
15 versesThe evils that shall fall upon Israel for their sins.
Amos 4
13 versesThe Israelites are reproved for their oppressing the poor, for their idolatry, and their incorrigibleness.
Amos 5
27 versesA lamentation for Israel: an exhortation to return to God.
Amos 6
15 versesThe desolation of Israel for their pride and luxury.
Amos 7
17 versesThe prophet sees, in three visions, evils coming upon Israel: he is accused of treason by the false priest of Bethel.
Amos 8
14 versesUnder the figure of a hook, which bringeth down the fruit, the approaching desolation of Israel is foreshewed for their avarice and injustices.
Amos 9
15 versesThe certainty of the desolation of Israel: the restoring of the tabernacle of David, and the conversion of the Gentiles to the church; which shall flourish for ever.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Amos is read at the principal Mass on 3 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday after Ash Wednesday | Verse before the Gospel | See Amos 5:14 | |
| Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent | Verse before the Gospel | Amos 5:14 | |
| computed | Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 7:12-15 |
| computed | Friday after Ash Wednesday | Verse before the Gospel | Amos 5:14 |
| computed | Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent | Verse before the Gospel | Amos 5:14 |
| computed | Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 |
| computed | Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 7:10-17 |
| computed | Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 8:4-6, 9-12 |
| computed | Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 9:11-15 |
| computed | Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 8:4-7 |
| computed | Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Amos 6:1a, 4-7 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.