[Propertalk] READINGS for the THIRD SUNDAY of EASTER

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter, April 18, 
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: 1 - 6 (7 - 20)   RCL)
                                  Acts 9: 1 - 20   (Can. BAS)

Acts 9:1 (NRSV) Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against 
the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for 
letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged 
to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as 
he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven 
flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The 
reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter 
the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7 The men who were 
traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no 
one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could 
see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 
For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him 
in a vision, "Anani'as." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." 11 The Lord said to 
him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas 
look for a man of Tar'sus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and 
he has seen in a vision a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on 
him so that he might regain his sight." 13 But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I 
have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your 
saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to 
bind all who invoke your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is 
an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings 
and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must 
suffer for the sake of my name." 17 So Anani'as went and entered the house. 
He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who 
appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your 
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately something like 
scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and 
was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and immediately 
he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of 
God."


Acts 5: 27b - 32, 40b - 41   (Roman Catholic)

Acts 5:27 (NRSV) The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, "We gave you 
strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem 
with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." 
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any 
human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had 
killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as 
Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of 
sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit 
whom God has given to those who obey him."

40  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them 
go. 41 As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered 
worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.


PSALM 30   (RCL)
Psalm 30: 1, 3 - 5, 10 - 11a, 12b   (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 30: 4 - 12   (Can. BAS)

Psal 30:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up,
and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought up my soul from She'ol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I shall never be moved."
7 By your favor, O LORD,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8 To you, O LORD, I cried,
and to the LORD I made supplication:
9 "What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me!
O LORD, be my helper!"
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Note Verse numbering in Roman Catholic Bibles is one higher than the above.


SECOND READING:   Revelation 5: 11 - 14   (all)

Reve 5:11 (NRSV) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels 
surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they 
numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full 
voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!"
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth 
and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
"To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!"
14 And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and 
worshiped.


GOSPEL:   John 21: 1 - 19   (RCL)
                    John 21: 1 - 14 (15 - 19)   (Roman Catholic)
                    John 21: (1 - 14) 15 - 19   (Can. BAS)

John 21:1 (NRSV) After these things Jesus showed himself again to the 
disciples by the Sea of Tibe'rias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 
Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan'ael 
of Ca'na in Galilee, the sons of Zeb'edee, and two others of his disciples. 
3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will 
go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they 
caught nothing.
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not 
know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, 
have you?" They answered him, "No." 6 He said to them, "Cast the net to the 
right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now 
they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That 
disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter 
heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and 
jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging 
the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a 
hundred yards off.
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on 
it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have 
just caught." 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full 
of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, 
the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now 
none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it 
was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did 
the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared 
to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son 
of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you 
know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time 
he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, 
Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He 
said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt 
hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to 
him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to 
him, "Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you 
used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you 
grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a 
belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." 19 (He said this 
to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he 
said to him, "Follow me."


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