[Propertalk] READINGS for the DAY of PENTECOST

Sun May 20 21:16:50 EDT 2012

The following are the readings for the Day of Pentecost, May 27, according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England (Common Worship), and Canadian (Can. BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this Sunday.

The Acts reading may be used as either the first or the second reading the RCL.

FIRST READING:  Acts 2: 1 - 21  (RCL)
                                 Acts 2: 1 - 11  (Roman Catholic)

Acts 2:1 (NRSV) When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 
5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Par'thians, Medes, E'lamites, and residents of Mesopota'mia, Judea and Cappado'cia, Pon'tus and Asia, 10 Phryg'ia and Pamphyl'ia, Egypt and the parts of Lib'ya belonging to Cyre'ne, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cre'tans and A'rabs--in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Jo'el: 
17 "In the last days it will be, God declares, 
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, 
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 
and your young men shall see visions, 
and your old men shall dream dreams. 
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, 
in those days I will pour out my Spirit; 
and they shall prophesy. 
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above 
and signs on the earth below, 
blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness 
and the moon to blood, 
before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 

For other languages, just go to http://www.biblegateway.com/, enter the appropriate scripture verses, and choose your translation.

Ezekiel 37: 1 - 14  (alt. for RCL)

Ezek 37:1 (NRSV) The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD." 
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 
11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD. 

PSALM 104: 24 - 34, 35b (RCL)
Psalm 104: 1, 24, 29 - 31, 34   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 104:1 (NRSV) Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,

24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! 
In wisdom you have made them all; 
the earth is full of your creatures. 
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, 
creeping things innumerable are there, 
living things both small and great. 
26 There go the ships, 
and Levi'athan that you formed to sport in it. 
27 These all look to you 
to give them their food in due season; 
28 when you give to them, they gather it up; 
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; 
when you take away their breath, they die 
and return to their dust. 
30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created; 
and you renew the face of the ground. 
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; 
may the LORD rejoice in his works-- 
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, 
who touches the mountains and they smoke. 
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; 
I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, 
for I rejoice in the LORD. 
35
Bless the LORD, O my soul. 
Praise the LORD! 

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

104   Benedic, anima mea   (ECUSA BCP)

25  O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
 in wisdom you have made them all;
 the earth is full of your creatures.

26  Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
 creatures both small and great.

27  There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
 which you have made for the sport of it.

28  All of them look to you *
 to give them their food in due season.

29  You give it to them; they gather it; *
 you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30  You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
 you take away their breath,
 and they die and return to their dust.

31  You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
 and so you renew the face of the earth.

32  May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
 may the Lord rejoice in all his works.

33  He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
 he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34  I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
 I will praise my God while I have my being.

35  May these words of mine please him; *
 I will rejoice in the Lord.

37  Bless the Lord, O my soul. *
 Hallelujah!

SECOND READING:  Romans 8: 22 - 27  (RCL)

Roma 8:22 (NRSV) We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

1 Corinthians 12: 3b - 7, 12 - 13   (Roman Catholic)

1Cor 12:3 (NRSV) 3 [N]o one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 
. 
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 

Galatians 5: 16 - 25   (alt. for Roman Catholic)

Gala 5:16 (NRSV) Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 

GOSPEL:  John 15: 26 - 27, 16: 4b - 15  (RCL)
                    John 15: 26 - 27, 16: 12 - 15   (alt. for Roman Catholic)

John 15:26 (NRSV) "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. 

16:4 "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, "Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 

John 20: 19 - 23  (Roman Catholic)

John 20:19 (NRSV) When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 

Chad Wohlers
Woodbury, Vermont    USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu

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