[Propertalk] READINGS for the FOURTH SUNDAY of EASTER

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 
13, 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 9: 36 - 43 (RCL)

Acts 9:36 (NRSV) Now in Jop'pa there was a disciple whose name was 
Tab'itha, which in Greek is Dor'cas. She was devoted to good works and 
acts of charity. 37 At that time she became ill and died. When they had 
washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lyd'da was near 
Jop'pa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to 
him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." 39 So Peter got 
up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room 
upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics 
and other clothing that Dor'cas had made while she was with them. 40 
Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He 
turned to the body and said, "Tab'itha, get up." Then she opened her 
eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and helped 
her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. 
42 This became known throughout Jop'pa, and many believed in the Lord. 
43 Meanwhile he stayed in Jop'pa for some time with a certain Simon, a 
tanner.


Acts 13: 14, 43 - 52 (Roman Catholic)

Acts 13:14 (NRSV) but they went on from Per'ga and came to An'tioch in 
Pisid'ia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat 
down.

43 When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout 
converts to Ju'daism followed Paul and Bar'nabas, who spoke to them and 
urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of 
the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with 
jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. 46 
Then both Paul and Bar'nabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary 
that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it 
and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning 
to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
"I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,
so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of 
the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became 
believers. 49 Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. 50 
But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading 
men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Bar'nabas, 
and drove them out of their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their 
feet in protest against them, and went to Ico'nium. 52 And the disciples 
were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.


PSALM 23 (RCL)

Psal 23:1 (NRSV) The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff--
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
my whole life long.


Psalm 100: 1 - 3, 5   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 100:1 (NRSV) Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.


SECOND READING: Revelation 7: 9 - 17 (all but Roman Catholic)
                 Revelation 7: 9, 14b - 17 (Roman Catholic)

Reve 7:9 (NRSV) After this I looked, and there was a great multitude 
that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples 
and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in 
white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud 
voice, saying,
"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the 
Lamb!"
11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and 
the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the 
throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen."
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in 
white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are 
the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come 
out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them 
white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."


GOSPEL: John 10: 22 - 30 (all but Roman Catholic)
         John 10: 27 - 30 (Roman Catholic)

John 10:22 (NRSV) At that time the festival of the Dedication took place 
in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in 
the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to 
him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, 
tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not 
believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; 26 but 
you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep 
hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal 
life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my 
hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no 
one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are 
one."


-- 
Chad Wohlers
chadwohl at satucket.com
Woodbury, VT   USA