Readings from the Roots

Readings from the Roots presents The Revised Common Lectionary in a new translation with brief introductions. The translation aims to reflect these readings’ original historical contexts and so expresses the theological and social meanings they had for those who originally wrote and read them.

The goal of this project is to give contemporary readers a more comprehensive grasp of the scriptural sources that comprise the foundation of Christian faith.

This approach reduces the potential, inherent in many existing translations, for imposing on the Hebrew Bible and even the New Testament ideas derived from later Christianity that are, in fact, foreign to those texts.

This approach seeks to reduce, for example, the potential for anti-Judaism that sometimes has been associated with supersessionist readings of the Christian message. The goal here is to enrich Christianity through its roots in Judaism, without creating false adversarial relationships. Such enrichment is appropriate insofar as it accurately aligns with Christianity’s foundations in the life and teachings of Jesus, a Galilean Jew; moreover, the church’s self-awareness in regard to past patterns of slanderous anti-Jewish interpretation calls for it.

A team of scholars produced these translations, following principles explained here. The project offers these texts freely for use and comment, and believes that this critical translation will help overcome a heritage which has distorted the memory of Jesus’ death. Scripture presents the cross as a beacon that guides people of every culture to see their common humanity, and neither worship nor study can be adequate without an awareness of that perspective.

Lent Year A

Ash Wednesday

Holy Week Years A, B, & C

Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday

Monday in Holy Week

Tuesday in Holy Week

Wednesday in Holy Week

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

Easter Vigil

Lent Year B

Ash Wednesday

First Sunday in Lent

Second Sunday in Lent

Third Sunday in Lent

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Annunciation of the Lord

Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday – see Holy Week Years A, B, & C

Advent Year C

First Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas Year C

Nativity of the Lord – Propers I through III

First Sunday after Christmas Day

Holy Name of Jesus

New Year’s Day

Second Sunday after Christmas Day

Easter Year C

Resurrection of the Lord

Easter Evening

Second Sunday of Easter

Third Sunday of Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Ascension of the Lord

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Day of Pentecost

Advent Year A

First Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas Year A

Nativity of the Lord – Propers I through III

First Sunday after Christmas Day

New Year’s Observance

Holy Name of Jesus

Epiphany Year A

Epiphany of the Lord

Baptism of the Lord

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (coming soon)

Presentation of the Lord

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Transfiguration Sunday (coming soon)