Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 9:26-31 (JB)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

He explained how the Lord appeared to Saul and spoke to him on his journey.

When Saul got to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him: they could not believe he was really a disciple. Barnabas, however, took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul and spoken to him on his journey, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Saul now started to go round with them in Jerusalem, preaching fearlessly in the name of the Lord. But after he had spoken to the Hellenists, and argued with them, they became determined to kill him. When the brothers knew, they took him to Caesarea, and sent him off from there to Tarsus.

The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves up, living in the fear of the Lord, and filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Acts 9:26-31 (NRSV)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

When Saul 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,

brought him to the apostles,

and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord,

who had spoken to him,

and how in Damascus Saul had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

So Saul went in and out among them in Jerusalem,

speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

He spoke and argued with the Hellenists;

but they were attempting to kill him.

When the believers learned of it,

they brought Saul down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria

had peace and was built up.

Living in the fear of the Lord

and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,

it increased in numbers.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 21:26-28, 30-32 (JB)

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or

R. Alleluia.

My vows I will pay before those who fear him.

The poor shall eat and shall have their fill.

They shall praise the Lord, those who seek him.

May their hearts live for ever and ever! R.

All the earth shall remember and return to the Lord,

all families of the nations worship before him.

They shall worship him, all the mighty of the earth;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust. R.

And my soul shall live for him, my children serve him.

They shall tell of the Lord to generations yet to come,

declare his faithfulness to peoples yet unborn:

‘These things the Lord has done.’ R.

1 John 3:18-24 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St John

His commandments are these: that we believe and that we love one another.

My children,

our love is not to be just words or mere talk,

but something real and active;

only by this can we be certain

that we are the children of the truth

and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence,

whatever accusations it may raise against us,

because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.

My dear people,

if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,

we need not be afraid in God’s presence,

and whatever we ask him,

we shall receive,

because we keep his commandments

and live the kind of life that he wants.

His commandments are these:

that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and that we love one another

as he told us to.

Whoever keeps his commandments

lives in God and God lives in him.

We know that he lives in us

by the Spirit that he has given us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 John 3:18-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of John

Little children, let us love,

not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

And by this we will know that we are from the truth

and will reassure our hearts before him

whenever our hearts condemn us;

for God is greater than our hearts,

and God knows everything.

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,

we have boldness before God;

and we receive from him whatever we ask,

because we obey his commandments and do what pleases God.

And this is God’s commandment,

that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and love one another; just as he has commanded us.

All who obey his commandments abide in him,

and he abides in them.

And by this we know that he abides in us,

by the Spirit that he has given us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 15:4-5 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord;

my branches bear much fruit.

Alleluia!

John 15:4-5 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord;

my branches bear much fruit.

Alleluia!

John 15:1-8 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

All who live in me, and I in them, bear much fruit.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I am the true vine,

and my Father is the vinedresser.

Every branch in me that bears no fruit

he cuts away,

and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes

to make it bear even more.

You are pruned already,

by means of the word that I have spoken to you.

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.

As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,

but must remain part of the vine,

neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him,

bears fruit in plenty;

for cut off from me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

is like a branch that has been thrown away

– he withers;

these branches are collected and thrown on the fire,

and they are burnt.

If you remain in me

and my words remain in you,

you may ask what you will

and you shall get it.

It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit,

and then you will be my disciples.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 15:1-8 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.

He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.

Every branch that bears fruit

he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

You have already been cleansed

by the word that I have spoken to you.

“Abide in me as I abide in you.

Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself

unless it abides in the vine,

neither can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,

because apart from me you can do nothing.

“Whoever does not abide in me

is thrown away like a branch and withers;

such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask for whatever you wish,

and it will be done for you.

My Father is glorified by this,

that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.