The following are the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 21, 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.

FIRST READING: Acts 1: 6 - 14 (RCL) 
                            Acts 1: 12 - 14 (Roman Catholic) 

Acts 1:6 (NRSV) So when they [the apostles] 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." 
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Ol'ivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphae'us, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. 

Ezekiel 36: 24 - 28 (alt. for C of E) 

Ezek 36:24 (NRSV) I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 

PSALM 68: 1 - 10, 32 - 35   (RCL) 

Psal 68:1 (NRSV) Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; 
let those who hate him flee before him. 
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; 
as wax melts before the fire, 
let the wicked perish before God. 
3 But let the righteous be joyful; 
let them exult before God; 
let them be jubilant with joy. 
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; 
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds -- 
his name is the LORD-- 
be exultant before him. 
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows 
is God in his holy habitation. 
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in; 
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, 
but the rebellious live in a parched land. 
7 O God, when you went out before your people, 
when you marched through the wilderness, [Se'lah] 
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain 
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, 
at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad; 
you restored your heritage when it languished; 
10 your flock found a dwelling in it; 
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; 
sing praises to the Lord, [Se'lah] 
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens; 
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 
34 Ascribe power to God, 
whose majesty is over Israel; 
and whose power is in the skies. 
35 Awesome is God in his sanctuary, 
the God of Israel; 
he gives power and strength to his people. 
Blessed be God! 

68   Exsurgat Deus   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *
 	let those who hate him flee before him.
 
2  	Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; *
 	as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at
		the presence of God.
 
3  	But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *
 	let them also be merry and joyful.
 
4  	Sing to God, sing praises to his Name;
exalt him who rides upon the heavens; *
 	Yahweh is his Name, rejoice before him!
 
5  	Father of orphans, defender of widows, *
 	God in his holy habitation!
 
6  	God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners
		into freedom; *
 	but the rebels shall live in dry places.
 
7  	O God, when you went forth before your people, *
 	when you marched through the wilderness,
 
8  	The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain,
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, *
 	at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
 
9  	You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; *
 	you refreshed the land when it was weary.
 
10  Your people found their home in it; *
 	in your goodness, O God, you have made provision
		for the poor.

33  	Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; *
 	sing praises to the Lord.
 
34  	He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; *
 	he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.
 
35  	Ascribe power to God; *
 	his majesty is over Israel;
 	his strength is in the skies.
 
36  	How wonderful is God in his holy places! *
 	the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people!
 	Blessed be God!

Psalm 27: 1, 4, 7 - 8 (Roman Catholic) 

Psal 27:1 (NRSV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; 
whom shall I fear? 
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; 
of whom shall I be afraid? 

4 One thing I asked of the LORD, 
that will I seek after: 
to live in the house of the LORD 
all the days of my life, 
to behold the beauty of the LORD, 
and to inquire in his temple. 
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, 
be gracious to me and answer me! 
8 "Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" 
Your face, LORD, do I seek. 

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 4: 12 - 14, 5: 6 - 11 (RCL) 
                                      1 Peter 4: 13 - 16 (Roman Catholic) 

1Pet 4:12 (NRSV) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker. 16 Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. 

5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. 

Note: If one of the Old Testament alternatives is used for the first reading, the Acts reading should be used instead here. 

GOSPEL: John 17: 1 - 11 (all) 

John 17:1 (NRSV) After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. 
6 "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 

Note: The Roman Catholic lectionary omits the second part of v. 11.