[Propertalk] READINGS for the FIFTH SUNDAY of EASTER

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 2, 
according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, 
Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common Worship) lectionaries. All 
readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the 
Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, Canadian and C of E lectionaries 
are identical to the RCL for this day.

The readings are posted on our web site: <http://satucket.com/lectionary>, 
in RTF format, which can be read by all word processors.



FIRST READING: Acts 11: 1 - 18 (RCL)

Acts 11:1 (NRSV) Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard 
that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up 
to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "Why did 
you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" 4 Then Peter began to 
explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Jop'pa 
praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large 
sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it 
came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, 
beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice 
saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I replied, "By no means, 
Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But a 
second time the voice answered from heaven, "What God has made clean, you 
must not call profane.' 10 This happened three times; then everything was 
pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from 
Caesare'a, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go 
with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six 
brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 He told us 
how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Jop'pa 
and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which 
you and your entire household will be saved.' 15 And as I began to speak, 
the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 
And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, "John baptized with 
water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave 
them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus 
Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" 18 When they heard this, they 
were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the 
Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."


Acts 14: 21b - 27 (Roman Catholic)

Acts 14:21 (NRSV) [T]hey returned to Lys'tra, then on to Ico'nium and 
An'tioch. 22 There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and 
encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "It is through many 
persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God." 23 And after they had
appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they 
entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. 24 Then they 
passed through Pisid'ia and came to Pamphyl'ia. 25 When they had spoken the 
word in Per'ga, they went down to Attali'a. 26 From there they sailed back 
to An'tioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work 
that they had completed. 27 When they arrived, they called the church 
together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened 
a door of faith for the Gentiles.


Acts 14: 8 - 18 (Can. BAS)

Acts 14:8 (NRSV) In Lys'tra there was a man sitting who could not use his 
feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. 9 He 
listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and 
seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said in a loud voice, "Stand 
upright on your feet." And the man sprang up and began to walk. 11 When the 
crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycao'nian language, "The 
gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Bar'nabas they called Zeus, and 
Paul they called Her'mes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of 
Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to 
the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. 14 When the apostles 
Bar'nabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into 
the crowd, shouting, 15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals 
just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these 
worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and 
the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the 
nations to follow their own ways; 17 yet he has not left himself without a 
witness in doing good--giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, 
and filling you with food and your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these 
words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.


PSALM 148 (RCL)

Psal 148:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!


Psalm 145: 8 - 13, R. v. 1 (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 145: 14 - 21 (Can. BAS)

Psal 145:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

Note: verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.


SECOND READING: Revelation 21: 1 - 6 (RCL, Can. BAS)
                                      Revelation 21: 1 - 5a (Roman Catholic)

Reve 21:1 (NRSV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first 
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I 
saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from 
the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all 
things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and 
true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the 
beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the 
spring of the water of life.


GOSPEL: John 13: 31 - 35 (RCL, Can. BAS)
                  John 13: 31 - 33a, 34 - 35 (Roman Catholic)

John 13:31 (NRSV) When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has 
been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been 
glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him 
at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will 
look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am 
going, you cannot come.' 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one 
another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By 
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one 
another."



Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu