Lenten Season · Easter Vigil Seventh Reading · Year A

Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28 or Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (3)

A Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel

April 4, 2026

The Baptism of the Neophytes, Masaccio — **The Baptism of the Neophytes**, Masaccio, about 1425Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

Roman Lectionary

GospelMatt. 28:1-10Mt 28:1-10

Second ReadingRom. 6:3-11Rom 6:3-11

First ReadingEzek. 36:16-17a, 18-28Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28 orIsa. 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (3)Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (3)

Responsorial PsalmPs. 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 (42:2) for baptismsPs 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 (42:2) for baptisms orPs. 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 (12a)Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 (12a)

Overview & Insights

“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

Ezekiel 34–48, the second major part of this book, is concerned with a message of hope for the exiles and with the promise of Israel’s future restoration. That message has broken through in a muted sense in chapters 1–33 (11:14–21; 16:53–63; 20:33–44; 28:25–26), but it now becomes the central theme. These fifteen chapters fall into three sections. The first, chapters 34–37, is a series of seven oracles dealing with the restoration of Israel. The second section describes the rise and fall of Gog of Magog, Israel’s last great enemy (chs. 38–39). Finally, chapters 40–48 express a message of hope for Israel’s present and future, grounded in the presence of the Lord. These chapters present Ezekiel’s third great vision of the Glory of the Lord (see chs. 1–3 and 8–11) entering the perfect temple of the prophet’s vision just as it had departed the corrupted temple in Jerusalem.

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Take it further: Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28 or Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (3)

Commentary

Commentary on Ezekiel 36:24-28Commentary on Ez 36:24-28 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary's Easter Vigil commentary on the gathering, cleansing, and new-heart promise at the climax of this reading.

Ezekiel 36 Commentary: A New Covenant for Israel's LandEz 36 Commentary: A New Covenant for Israel's Land Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse commentary on the sprinkled clean water, the new heart, and the new spirit.

Ezekiel 36 CommentaryEz 36 Commentary Precept Austin

Gathers many commentators and word studies on the regeneration God promises before the land is restored.

Ezekiel 36:16 CommentariesEz 36:16 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentary set from the reading's opening, where God explains why Israel was scattered among the nations.

The Easter Vigil (Year B), Dr. Brant Pitre Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre

A Catholic scholar connects the clean water and new heart of Ezekiel to baptism within the Vigil's salvation story.

Background & Word Study

Ezekiel 36 (Hebrew and English)Ez 36 (Hebrew and English) Sefaria

The Hebrew text with English and Jewish commentary for study of the new heart (lev) and new spirit (ruach).

Ezekiel 36:16 InterlinearEz 36:16 Interlinear BibleHub

Word-by-word Hebrew with Strong's numbers for the vocabulary of cleansing, heart, and spirit.

The Church Fathers

Ezekiel 36, CatenaEz 36, Catena Catena

Patristic and medieval comment reading the clean water and new heart as figures of baptism and the Spirit.

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