The Pentecost by Sir Anthony van Dyck, 1618-20, oil on canvas at the Staatliche Museen, Berlin

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, May 27 are from Lectionary Year B, first Sunday after Pentecost: Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29 or Canticle 13 (or Canticle 2); Romans 8:12-17 and John 3:1-17. The text is from the Bible Study Tools - New International Version.

Isaiah 6:1-8

¹ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

    “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
         the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Psalm 29

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
     ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
     worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
     the God of glory thunders,
     the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
     the voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
     the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
     Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
     ⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
       the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
     and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple
     all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
     the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
     the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Canticle 13 - Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;
     you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
     on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
     in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Romans 8:12-17

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

John 3:1-17

¹ Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” ⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.