Divergence on the Lectionary – Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 10:44–48 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 8:26–40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 4:5–12 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 3:12–19 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 4:32–35 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Easter Sunday, Year B (Principal Service)
First Reading Acts 10:34–43 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Passion Sunday, Year B
Because the Passion Narrative for this Sunday is so long, I’m putting a link here so that you can click straight to the Comments and Questions for Discussion if you’d rather do that than scroll and scroll (and scroll). (Click Here for Comments and Questions.) First Reading Isaiah 50:4–9a The Lord GOD has given me […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Jeremiah 31:31–34 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Numbers 21:4–9 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Third Sunday In Lent, Year B
First Reading Exodus 20:1–17 And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Genesis 17:1–7, 15-16 (Omitted verses included in italics) When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Genesis 9:8–17 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading 2 Kings 2:1–12 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading Isaiah 40:21–31 Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading Deuteronomy 18:15–20 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice […]
Divergence on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading Jonah 3:1–5, 10 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly […]