First Sunday after the Epiphany

Occasion: The Baptism of our Lord

The Collect:

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-5

1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Psalm: Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
       ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
       worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
       the God of glory thunders; *
       the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
       the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
       the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
       and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
       the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
       the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
       and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the Lord *
       all are crying, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
       the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *
       the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

New Testament: Acts 19:1-7

1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—7altogether there were about twelve of them.

Gospel: Mark 1:4-11

4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Want to learn more?

The Episcopal Church Lectionary Calendar
What is the Revised Common Liturgy?