[Propertalk] READINGS for the DAY of PENTECOST

Charles Wohlers chadwohl at satucket.com
Sun May 24 21:12:27 EDT 2009


The following are the readings for the Day of Pentecost, May 31, 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: 24 - 34   (Can. BAS)
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: 16 - 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
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu





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