The following are the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 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 11: 1 - 18 (RCL) 

Acts 11:1 (NRSV) Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" 4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Jop'pa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I replied, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesare'a, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Jop'pa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life." 

Acts 14: 21b - 27 (Roman Catholic) 

Acts 14:21 (NRSV) [T]hey returned to Lys'tra, then on to Ico'nium and An'tioch. 22 There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God." 23 And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. 24 Then they passed through Pisid'ia and came to Pamphyl'ia. 25 When they had spoken the word in Per'ga, they went down to Attali'a. 26 From there they sailed back to An'tioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. 27 When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 

PSALM 148 (RCL) 

Psal 148:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD! 

148   Laudate Dominum     (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
 	praise him in the heights.
 
2  	Praise him, all you angels of his; *
 	praise him, all his host.
 
3  	Praise him, sun and moon; *
 	praise him, all you shining stars.

4  	Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
 	and you waters above the heavens.
 
5  	Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *
 	for he commanded, and they were created.
 
6  	He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
 	he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
  
7  	Praise the Lord from the earth, *
 	you sea-monsters and all deeps;
 
8  	Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
 	tempestuous wind, doing his will;
 
9  	Mountains and all hills, *
 	fruit trees and all cedars;
 
10  	Wild beasts and all cattle, *
 	creeping things and winge!d birds;
 
11  	Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
 	princes and all rulers of the world;
 
12  	Young men and maidens, *
 	old and young together.
 
13  	Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *
 	for his Name only is exalted,
 	his splendor is over earth and heaven.
 
14  	He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants, *
 	the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
 	Hallelujah!

Psalm 145: 8 - 13, R. v. 1 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 145:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds. 

Note: verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above. 

SECOND READING: Revelation 21: 1 - 6 (RCL)
                                 Revelation 21: 1 - 5a (Roman Catholic) 

Reve 21:1 (NRSV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God; 
they will be his peoples, 
and God himself will be with them; 
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 

GOSPEL: John 13: 31 - 35 (RCL)
                  John 13: 31 - 33a, 34 - 35 (Roman Catholic) 

John 13:31 (NRSV) When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am going, you cannot come.' 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."