CREATIVE SCRIPTURE READING

THE RESURRECTION

From “Speaking the Word: Scriptures for the Speaking Choir” by Robert Allen

Published by CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio

Matthew 28:1-9, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:9-16 (NASB)

NOTE: Light and dark refer to the relative pitch levels of the speakers.

 

ALL LIGHT:      On the first day of the week

LIGHT SOLO:            at early dawn

ALL LIGHT:      they came to the tomb,

LIGHT SOLO:            Mary Magdalaene

LIGHT SOLO TWO: and the other Mary.

ALL DARK:   And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred,

DARK SOLO: for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven

DARK SOLO TWO: and came and rolled away the stone

DARK DUET: and sat upon it.

ALL DARK:   And his appearance was like lightning,

ALL LIGHT:   and his garment as white as snow;

ALL:               and the guards shook for fear of him

DARK QUARTET: and became like dead men.

LIGHT DUET:            And as the women were terrified and bowed their

faces to the ground, the men said to them.

DARK DUET: Why do ye seek the Living One among the dead?

DARK TRIO: He is not here,

DARK QUARTET:     but He is risen.

LIGHT DUET:            Has risen?

LIGHT TRIO: He has risen.

ALL LIGHT:   He has risen.

ALL:               He has risen!

DARK DUET: Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee

DARK SOLO: saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men

DARK SOLO TWO:  and be crucified

DARK DUET: and the third day rise again?

ALL LIGHT:   And they remembered His words.

DARK DUET: Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.

ALL LIGHT:   He has risen from the dead.

ALL DARK:   He has risen from the dead.

ALL:               He has risen from the dead.

DARK DUET: Behold, He is going before you into Galilee, there you will see Him,

ALL DARK:   You will see Him,

ALL LIGHT:   will see Him.

LIGHT TRIO: And they departed quickly from the tomb

LIGHT SOLO:            with fear

LIGHT SOLO TWO:  and great joy

LIGHT TRIO: and ran to report it to his disciples.

ALL DARK:   And these words appeared to them as nonsense.

LIGHT SOLO:            He is risen.

DARK SOLO: Nonsense!

LIGHT SOLO TWO:  He is risen.

DARK SOLO TWO:  Nonsense!

ALL DARK:   And they would not believe them.

ALL LIGHT:   For as yet they did not understand the Scripture,

that He must rise again from the dead.

LIGHT SOLO:            But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping;

LIGHT DUET:            and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

ALL LIGHT:   and she beheld two angels in white, sitting,

DARK SOLO: one at the head

DARK SOLO TWO:  and one at the feet,

ALL LIGHT:   where the body of Jesus had been lying.

DARK DUET: Woman, why are you weeping?

LIGHT SOLO;            Because they have taken away my Lord,

and I do not know where they have laid Him.

LIGHT TRIO: When she had said this, she turned around

ALL LIGHT:   and beheld Jesus standing there

LIGHT TRIO:             and did not know that it was Jesus.

DARK/LIGHT DUET:  Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?

LIGHT TRIO:             Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him,

LIGHT SOLO:            Sir, if you have carried Him away,

tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.

DARK/LIGHT DUET:  Mary.

LIGHT SOLO:            Mary?

ALL LIGHT:   Mary!

LIGHT SOLO:            Rabboni!

ALL LIGHT:   Rabboni! He is risen!

ALL:               He is risen, indeed.