Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. ² He caused me to pass all around them, and behold, there were very many [human bones] in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry. ³ And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”^{(A) 4} Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’^{(B) 5} Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will make ^[a]breath enter you so that you may come to life. ⁶ I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and I will put breath in you so that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a [thundering] noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on the bones, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.^(C)

The Vision Explained

¹¹ Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will open your graves and make you come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you [back home] to the land of Israel.^{(D) 13} Then you will know [with confidence] that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and made you come up out of your graves, My people. ¹⁴ I will put My ^[b]Spirit in you and you will come to life, and I will place you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and fulfilled it,” says the Lord.’”

Jesus among His Disciples

¹⁹ So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “^[a]Peace to you.” ²⁰ After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with great joy. ²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” ²² And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(A) 23} If you forgive the sins of anyone they are forgiven [because of their faith]; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained [and remain unforgiven because of their unbelief].”