Pericope

A pericope (Greek περικοπή; Slavonic: Зачало (Zachalo), "a cutting-out") is a portion of text selected to be read aloud, such as the Epistle and Gospel readings.

This is also a term used in biblical studies in reference to distinct textual units, which are sections of scripture with a definable beginning and ending, for example, a parable in the Gospels is a distinct textual unit, as are particular accounts of miracles that Christ worked.

Lectionaries are normally made up of pericopes containing the Epistle and Gospel readings for the liturgical year. A pericope consisting of passages from different parts of a single book, or from different books of the Bible, and linked together into a single reading is called a concatenation or composite reading.

External links

• What is a "Pericope"?
• "Pericope" from A Synoptic Gospels Primer
• To hear the correct pronunciation of the word, click here