[Propertalk] READINGS for ASCENSION DAY

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for Ascension Day, May 20, 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.

For the C of E, the passage from Acts should be used for the second reading, if the alternative from the Old Tesatament was used as first reading.



FIRST READING:  Acts 1: 1 - 11   (all)

Acts 1:1 (NRSV) In the first book, Theoph'ilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." 


Daniel 7: 9 - 14   (alt. for C of E)

Dani 7:9 (NRSV) As I watched, 
thrones were set in place, 
and an Ancient One Aram took his throne, 
his clothing was white as snow, 
and the hair of his head like pure wool; 
his throne was fiery flames, 
and its wheels were burning fire. 
10 A stream of fire issued 
and flowed out from his presence. 
A thousand thousands served him, 
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. 
The court sat in judgment, 
and the books were opened. 
11 I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 As I watched in the night visions, 
I saw one like a human being Aram 
coming with the clouds of heaven. 
And he came to the Ancient One Aram 
and was presented before him. 
14 To him was given dominion 
and glory and kingship, 
that all peoples, nations, and languages 
should serve him. 
His dominion is an everlasting dominion 
that shall not pass away, 
and his kingship is one 
that shall never be destroyed. 


PSALM 47   (RCL)
Psalm 47: 1 - 2, 5 - 8   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 47:1 (NRSV) Clap your hands, all you peoples; 
shout to God with loud songs of joy. 
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome, 
a great king over all the earth. 
3 He subdued peoples under us, 
and nations under our feet. 
4 He chose our heritage for us, 
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. [Se'lah] 
5 God has gone up with a shout, 
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. 
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; 
sing praises to our King, sing praises. 
7 For God is the king of all the earth; 
sing praises with a psalm. 
8 God is king over the nations; 
God sits on his holy throne. 
9 The princes of the peoples gather 
as the people of the God of Abraham. 
For the shields of the earth belong to God; 
he is highly exalted. 

Note: Verse numbering is one higher in Roman Catholic Bibles


Psalm 93   (alt. for RCL - but not Can. BAS)

Psal 93:1 (NRSV) The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty; 
the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength. 
He has established the world; it shall never be moved; 
2 your throne is established from of old; 
you are from everlasting. 
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, 
the floods have lifted up their voice; 
the floods lift up their roaring. 
4 More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, 
more majestic than the waves of the sea, 
majestic on high is the LORD! 
5 Your decrees are very sure; 
holiness befits your house, 
O LORD, forevermore.


SECOND READING:   Ephesians 1: 15 - 23   (RCL)

Ephe 1:15 (NRSV) I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 


Hebrews 9: 24 - 28, 10: 19 - 23   (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 9:24 (NRSV) For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. 

10:19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 


GOSPEL:  Luke 24: 44 - 53   (all)

Luke 24:44 (NRSV) Then he [Jesus] said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." 
50 Then he led them out as far as Beth'any, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God. 

Note: the Roman Catholic lectionary omits vs. 44 & 45.


Mark 16: 9 - 16, 19 - 20   (alt. for Can. BAS)

Mark 16:9 (NRSV) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Mag'dalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. 
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 
14 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. 

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. 


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