Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year B
One of the five Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday Revised Common Lectionary, Year B, the year of Mark Violet
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The Gospel: John 12:20–33
Some Greeks ask to see Jesus; he speaks of a grain of wheat that must die to bear fruit, and a voice from the sky answers his prayer.
What is going on
Jesus is in Jerusalem for Passover, days before his death. Some Greeks, visitors who are not Jewish, come to Philip and ask to see Jesus.
Jesus answers that the hour has come. A grain of wheat has to fall into the ground and die before it can bear much fruit. He says his soul is troubled, but he will not ask to be saved from this hour.
He prays that the Father will glorify his name, and a voice from heaven answers. Jesus says that when he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all people to himself.
John 12:20-33
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast. 21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But I came to this time for this cause. 28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
The other readings
In the order they are read on Sunday, before the Gospel.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Through Jeremiah, the LORD promises a new covenant with Israel and Judah, writing his law on their hearts and forgiving their sins forever.
Read it here
31 “Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which covenant of mine they broke, although I was a husband to them,” says the LORD. 33 “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the LORD: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and I will write it in their heart. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 They will no longer each teach his neighbor, and every man teach his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD;’ for they will all know me, from their least to their greatest,” says the LORD: “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16
A plea for God’s mercy, asking to be washed clean of sin and given a clean heart and a renewed spirit.
Read it here
1 Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. 4 Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge. 5 Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin. 6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11 Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Hebrews 5:5-10
The letter to the Hebrews says God named Christ a high priest forever, and that Jesus learned obedience through suffering and became the source of eternal salvation.
Read it here
5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” 6 As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, 10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
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
Some visitors said they wanted to see Jesus. Where would you tell someone to look for him?
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.
Fifth Sunday in Lent · Revised Common Lectionary, Year B · the same Sunday at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Scripture text: World English Bible, public domain.
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org Used by permission.