The Revised Common Lectionary is a lectionary of readings from the Bible for use in Protestant Christian worship, providing for the liturgical year with its pattern of observances of festivals and seasons. It was publicly released in 1994. It was preceded by the Common Lectionary, assembled in 1983, itself preceded by the COCU Lectionary, published in 1974 by the Consultation on Church Union (COCU). This lectionary was derived from various Protestant lectionaries in current use, which, in turn, were based on the 1969 Ordo Lectionum Missae, a three-year lectionary produced by the Roman Catholic Church, following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

As in its predecessors, readings are prescribed for each Sunday: a passage typically from the Old Testament, or the Acts of the Apostles; a passage from one of the Psalms; another from either the Epistles or the Book of Revelation; and finally a passage from one of the four Gospels.

Also like its predecessors, it runs in three-year cycles; the gospel readings in the first year (Year A) are taken from the Gospel of Matthew, those in the second year (or Year B) from the Gospel of Mark, and in the third year (or Year C) come from the Gospel of Luke. Portions of the Gospel of John are read throughout Eastertide, and are also used for other liturgical seasons, including Advent, Christmastide, and Lent where appropriate. With the start of Advent on November 28 we switched to Year C.

  •   Year A begins on the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, 2026, etc.

  •   Year B begins on the first Sunday of Advent in 2024, 2027, etc.

  •   Year C begins on the first Sunday of Advent in 2022, 2025, etc.

The Revised Common Lectionary is used in its original or an adapted form by churches around the world. Protestant denominations in the United States which use the Revised Common Lectionary include: American Baptist Churches, USA; Community of Christ; Disciples of Christ; Episcopal Church in the United States of America; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Moravian Church in America; Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod; Presbyterian Church USA; Reformed Church in America; United Church of Christ; United Methodist Church; and Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship. The Roman Catholic Church uses an adapted form of the RCL.