ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 14:6-18

In those days, the apostles fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; and there they preached the gospel.

Now at Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet; he was a cripple from birth, who had never walked.

He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.”

And he sprang up and walked.

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, because he was the chief speaker, they called Hermes.

And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the people.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out among the multitude, crying, “Men, why are you doing this?

We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways; yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

With these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

JOHN 7:14-30

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.

The Jews marveled at it saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me; if any man’s will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teacher is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is not falsehood.

Did not Moses give you the law?

Yet none of you keeps the law.

Why do you seek to kill me?” The people answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”

Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel at it.

Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man upon the sabbath.

If on the sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?

And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him!

Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?

Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”

So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from?

But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him you do not know.

I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

So they sought to arrest him; but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10:21-33

In those days, Peter went down to the men sent by Cornelius to him and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?”

And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well-spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say.”

So he called them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

And on the following day they entered Caesarea.

Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his kinsmen and close friends.

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”

And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered; and he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit any one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

So when I was sent for, I came without objection.

I ask then why you sent for me.”

And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, saying, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the seaside.’

So I sent to you at once, and you have been kind enough to come.

Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

JOHN 7:1-13

At that time, Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing.

For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly.

If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his brothers did not believe in him.

Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

Go to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”

So saying, he remained in Galilee.

But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.

The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?”

And there was much muttering about him among the people.

While some said, “He is a good man, ” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.”

Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

ST. JOHN’S FIRST UNIVERSAL LETTER 1:1-7

THAT WHICH WAS from the beginning,

which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes,

which we have looked upon and touched with our hands,

concerning the word of life –

the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it,

and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us –

that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you,

so that you may have fellowship with us;

and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth;

but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

JOHN 19:25-28, 21:24-25

At that time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”

And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9:32-42

In those days, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda.

There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed.

And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.”

And immediately he rose.

And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas.

She was full of good works and acts of charity.

In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, “Please come to us without delay.”

So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room.

All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.

But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, rise.”

And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

And he gave her his hand and lifted her up.

Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.

And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

JOHN 5:1-15

At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes.

In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.

One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.”

And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the sabbath.

So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.”

But he answered them, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.'”

They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?”

Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.

Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.”

The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9:19-31

In those days, Saul was with the disciples at Damascus. And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

And all who heard him were amazed, and said, “is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name?

And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests.”

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul.

They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him.

And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.

JOHN 15:17-27; 16:1-2

The Lord said to his disciples: “This I command you, to love one another.

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

He who hates me hates my Father also.

If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.

It is to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’

But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.

I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 8:40; 9:1-19

In those days, Philip was found at Azotos, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesarea.

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.

And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?”

And he said, ” I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.

The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight.

Then he rose and was baptized, and took food and was strengthened.

JOHN 6:48-54

The Lord said to the Jews who believed in him: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 8:26-39

In those days, an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road.

And he rose and went.

And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”

So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?”

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: “As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?”

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.

And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?”

And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

JOHN 6:40-44

The Lord said to the Jews who believed in him: “This is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”

They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Jesus answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 8:18-25

In those days, when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said to him, “Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.

Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

JOHN 6:35-39

The Lord said to the Jews who believed in him: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.

But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.

ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE HEBREWS 13:7-16

Brethren, remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their lives, and imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured.

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

MATTHEW 5:14-19

The Lord said to his disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.

For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 6:8-15; 7:1-5, 47-60

In those days, Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.

But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

Then they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”

And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

And the high priest said, “Is this so?”

And Stephen said: “Brethren and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Depart from your land and from your kindred and go into the land which I will show you.’

Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and lived in Haran.

And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living; yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him in possession and to his posterity after him, though he had no child.

But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as the prophet says, ‘Heaven is my throne, and earth my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?’

You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.

As your fathers did, so do you.

Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?

And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him.

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.”

But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him.

Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

JOHN 4:46-54

At that time, there was an official whose son was ill.

When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.”

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.

As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living. So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live”; and he himself believed, and all his household.

This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 6:1-7

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch.

These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

MARK 15:43-47; 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.

And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph.

And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.

And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen.

And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”

And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large.

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.

And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.

He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.

But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”

And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5:21-32

In those days, the apostles entered the temple and taught.

Now the high priest came and those who were with him and called together the council and all the senate of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported, ‘We found the prison securely locked and the sentries standing at the doors, but when we opened it we found no one inside.”

Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.

And some one came and told them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

JOHN 6:14-27

At that time, when the people saw the sign which Jesus had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, entered a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.

It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing.

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat.

They were frightened, but he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.

However, boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves entered the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5:1-11

In those days, a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?

And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?

You have not lied to men but to God.”

When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died.

And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”

But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?

Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

Immediately she fell down at his feet and died.

When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things.

JOHN 5:30-47; 6:1-2

The Lord said to the Jews who came to him: “I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.

If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true; there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is true.

You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

Not that the testimony which I receive is from man; but I say this that you may be saved.

He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me witness that the Father has sent me.

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me.

His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen; and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he has sent.

You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

I do not receive glory from men. But I know that you have not the love of God within you.

I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on whom you set your hope.

If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.

But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4:23-31

In those days, when the apostles were released they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?

The kings of the earth set themselves in array, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’- for truly in this city there were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place.

And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

JOHN 5:24-30

The Lord said to the Jews who came to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.”

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4:13-22

In those days, when the Jews saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men?

For that a notable sign has been performed through them is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any one in this name.”

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all men praised God for what had happened.

For the man on whom the sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

JOHN 5:17-24

The Lord said to the Jews who came to him: “My Father is working still, and I am working.”

This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.

For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these he will show him, that you may marvel.

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.

He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

ST. PETER’S FIRST UNIVERSAL LETTER 5:6-14

BRETHREN, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.

Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.

Be sober, be watchful.

Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.

Resist him, first in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you.

To him be the dominion for ever and ever.

Amen.

By Silvanos, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it.

She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark.

Greet one another with the kiss of love.

Peace to all of you that are in Christ.

LUKE 10:16-21

The Lord said to his disciples, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 3:19-26

In those days, Peter said to the people, “Repent and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.

Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up.

You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.

And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days.

You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’

God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

JOHN 2:1-11

At that time, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the wedding, with his disciples.

When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.”

So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,

“Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine;

but you have kept the good wine until now.”

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 12:1-11

About that time, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.

He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.

This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church.

The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.”

And the chains fell off his hands.

And the angel said to him, “Wrap your mantle around you and follow me.”

And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city.

It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him.

And Peter came to himself, and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

JOHN 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.

Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.”

And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe.”

Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing.”

Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and My God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 3:11-16

In those days, while the healed lame man clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, astounded.

And when Peter saw it he addressed the people, “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead.

To this we are witnesses.

And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which is through him has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

JOHN 3:22-33

At that time, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there He remained with them and baptized.

John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized.

For John had not yet been put in prison.

Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying.

And they came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.”

John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.

You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all.

He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony; he who receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 3:1-8

In those days, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple.

Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms.

And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.”

And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them.

But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

JOHN 2:12-22

At that time, Jesus came to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business.

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

The Jews then said to him, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”

But he spoke of the temple of his body.

When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2:38-43

In those days, Peter said to the people, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.”

And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

JOHN 3:1-15

At that time, there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nikodemos, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nikodemos said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’

The Spirit blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, and you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nikodemos said to him, “How can this be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.