New Testament Readings

Romans 5:5-11
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters: 
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For  Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty  does one die for a just person—
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while were still were sinners
Christ died for us.
 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,
will we be saved through Him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only, that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 5:17-21
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
If, by the transgression of the one person,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification come to reign in life
through the person Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all,
so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.
The law entered in so that transgression might increase but,
where sin increased grace overflowed all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign through justification for eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 6:3-9
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him by through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then,  we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ,  raised from the dead,
dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 6:3-4, 8-9
Short Form
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed  buried with him by baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
If, then,  we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead,
dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 8:14-23
A reading from the Letter of St.  Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared  with the glory about to be revealed for us.
For the creation awaits with eager expectation the revealing of the children of God;
for creation was made subjected to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that the creation itself would be set free from salvery to corruption 
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning  in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 8:31b-35,37-39
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters;
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son,
but handed him over for us all,
will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus, who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things we conqueror overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Word of the Lord.

Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
No one lives for oneself,
and  no one dies for oneself.
For if  we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die,
we are the Lord’s.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
When thendo you judge your brother?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother?
For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of God;
for it is written:
   As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
  and every tongue shall give praise to God.
So then each of us shall give an accounting of himself to God.
The Word of the Lord.

Long Form
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through  a man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and
Father.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies
under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for he subjected everything under his feet.
But whe it says that everything has been subjected,
it is clear that is excludes the one who subjected
everything to him.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected
to the one who subjected everything to him,
so that God may be all in all.
The word of the Lord.

Short Form
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead came also come through a man;
for the just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits,
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ.
The Word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57
A reading from the first letter of  Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
Behold, I tell you a mystery!
We shall  not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
in am instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility,
and that which is  mortal must clothe itself  with  immortality.
And when this which corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility
and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,
then the word  that is written shall come about:
   Death has been swallowed up in victory.
  Where, O death, is your victory?
  Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word of the Lord.

2Corinthians 4:14-5:1
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us wit you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more
and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
Therefore, we are not discouraged;
rather, although our outer self is waiting away,
our inner self is being renewed day by day.
For this momentary light affliction
is producing for us an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison,
we we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen;
for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.
For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent,
should be destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a dwelling not made with hands,
eternal in heaven.
The word of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:1,6-10
A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
We know that if  our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed,
we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven
We are always full courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. 
Yet we courageous, and we would rather leave the body and
go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
Whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ,
so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body,
whether good or evil.
The Word of the Lord.

Philippians 3:20-21
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians
Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from  it we also await a 
savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified Body,
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
The Word of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God,through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will surely not preced those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an  archangel and with the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air;
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.
The Word of the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:8-13
A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to Timothy
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—
such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore I bear with everything for the sake of the those
who are chosen,
so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy: 
If we have died with him, we shall also live with him:
if we perservere, we shall also reign with him;
But if we deny him, he will also deny us;
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
The Word of the Lord.

1 John 3:1-2
A reading from the first letter of Saint John
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we may be called children of God;
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that  when it is revealed,
we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
The Word of the Lord.

1 John 3:14-16
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John
Beloved:
We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love our brothers.
Whoever does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
The way we came to know love
was that he laid down his life for us;
so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
The Word of the Lord.