A Choral Reading of 2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1, 5-15
This is a choral reading of 2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1, 5-15 adapted for 4 readers.
ONE: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
TWO: And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord
TWO & THREE (slightly repeating after each other, like an echo): as though reflected in a mirror,
TWO: are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory
THREE: to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
FOUR: Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.
THREE: For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
TWO: For it is the God who said,
ALL: “Let light shine out of darkness,”
TWO: who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
FOUR: But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
ALL (quietly): And does not come from us.
ONE: We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
TWO: perplexed, but not driven to despair;
THREE: persecuted, but not forsaken;
FOUR: struck down, but not destroyed;
ONE & TWO: always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.
THREE & FOUR: for while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.
ONE & THREE: So death is at work in us,
TWO & FOUR: but life in you.
TWO: But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—
ALL: “I believed, and so I spoke”
TWO:—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
TWO & THREE: will raise us also with Jesus,
ALL: and will bring us with you into his presence.
THREE: Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends
THREE & FOUR: to more and more people,
THREE, FOUR & ONE: may increase thanksgiving,
ALL: to the glory of God.
Note to readers: To allow the voices to sound like one voice, please don’t pause between lines when the sentence continues. Sometimes it helps to rehearse in unison at first, quoting the verses together.