Day of Pentecost, Year A

Seven weeks after Easter Day Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, the year of Matthew White and gold

Next read on .

The Gospel: John 20:19–23 or John 7:37–39

On the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus appears to his disciples behind locked doors, gives them peace, and breathes the Holy Spirit on them.

Gospel

John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39

Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.

The passage

19 When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

Doubting Thomas, scene by scene on Free Scripture

The other readings

In the order they are read on Sunday, before the Gospel.

First reading

Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit comes like wind and fire, the believers speak in many languages, and Peter explains it with the prophet Joel’s words.

Read it here

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

Psalm

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

A song of wonder at the LORD’s many works, the sea and its creatures, and all life that depends on God’s breath.

Read it here

24 O LORD, how many are your works! In wisdom, you have made them all. The earth is full of your riches. 25 There is the sea, great and wide, in which are innumerable living things, both small and large animals. 26 There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there. 27 These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season. 28 You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good. 29 You hide your face; they are troubled. You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust. 30 You send out your Spirit and they are created. You renew the face of the ground. 31 Let the LORD’s glory endure forever. Let the LORD rejoice in his works. 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. 34 Let my meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in the LORD. 35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD!

World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

Second reading

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21

Paul explains that there are many kinds of gifts but one Spirit, given for the good of all, just as one body has many parts.

Read it here

3 Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11 But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires. 12 For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.

World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

A question to carry into the week

What is one thing Jesus says or does in this Gospel that you want to remember this week?

For your newsletter or sermon notes

These readings are told as stories on our sister site, Free Scripture, one scene at a time in plain words. The lines below are ready to paste. The next eight Sundays, and every story.

Bible stories explained in plain words, for Day of Pentecost, Year A:

  • Gospel, John 20:19–23 or John 7:37–39: Doubting Thomas. Thomas missed seeing Jesus alive. A week later, Jesus comes back for him. About 15 minutes. freescripture.org/stories/doubting-thomas/
  • First reading, Acts 2:1–21 or Numbers 11:24–30: Pentecost. Wind, fire, and a crowd that hears in its own language. About 16 minutes. freescripture.org/stories/pentecost/

Day of Pentecost · Revised Common Lectionary, Year A · the same Sunday at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Scripture text: World English Bible, public domain.

A provisional alternative for this day

The Consultation on Common Texts has commended alternative readings to the churches for a three-year trial, reexamining passages historically misused to justify violence against Jews. The ELCA helped shape the work and encourages congregations to test it through 2028. The readings above remain the authorized ones. This is what the trial would change.

First reading
Numbers 11:24-30

The RCL already offers Numbers here as an alternative to Acts; the proposal makes it the reading.

Provisional alternative readings commended by the Consultation on Common Texts for trial use, 2025–2028. Citations as published in a worship resource copyright © 2025 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, reproduced for local, nonsale use.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org Used by permission.