Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 (JB)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

They laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, and they went down there, and prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 (NRSV)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

A severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem,

and all except the apostles were scattered.

Philip went down to the city of Samaria

and proclaimed the Messiah to them.

The crowds with one accord listened eagerly

to what was said by Philip,

hearing and seeing the signs that he did,

for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks,

came out of many who were possessed;

and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured.

So there was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard

that Samaria had accepted the word of God,

they sent Peter and John to them.

The two went down and prayed for them

that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them;

they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

Then Peter and John laid their hands on them,

and they received the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 65:1-7, 16, 20 (JB)

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

or

R. Alleluia.

Cry out with joy to God all the earth,

O sing to the glory of his name.

O render him glorious praise.

Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds! R.

‘Before you all the earth shall bow;

shall sing to you, sing to your name!’

Come and see the works of God,

tremendous his deeds among men. R.

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the river dry-shod.

Let our joy then be in him;

he rules for ever by his might. R.

Come and hear, all who fear God.

I will tell what he did for my soul:

Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer

nor withhold his love from me. R.

1 Peter 3:15-18 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Peter

In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.

Reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have. But give it with courtesy and respect and with a clear conscience, so that those who slander you when you are living a good life in Christ may be proved wrong in the accusations that they bring. And if it is the will of God that you should suffer, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong.

Why, Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Peter 4:13-16 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Peter

It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ.

If you can have some share in the sufferings of Christ, be glad, because you will enjoy a much greater gladness when his glory is revealed. It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ, because it means that you have the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God resting on you. None of you should ever deserve to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; but if anyone of you should suffer for being a Christian, then he is not to be ashamed of it; he should thank God that he has been called one.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Peter 3:15-18 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Peter

In your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.

Always be ready to make your defence

to anyone who demands from you an accounting

for the hope that is in you;

yet do it with gentleness and reverence.

Keep your conscience clear,

so that, when you are maligned,

those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ

may be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing good

if suffering should be God’s will,

than to suffer for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all,

the righteous for the unrighteous,

in order to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the flesh,

but made alive in the spirit.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 14:23 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

All who love me will keep my words,

and my Father will love them and we will come to them.

Alleluia!

John 14:23 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

All who love me will keep my words,

and my Father will love them and we will come to them.

Alleluia!

John 14:15-21 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

I shall ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.

I shall ask the Father,

and he will give you another Advocate

to be with you for ever,

that Spirit of truth

whom the world can never receive

since it neither sees nor knows him;

but you know him,

because he is with you, he is in you.

I will not leave your orphans;

I will come back to you.

In a short time the world will no longer see me;

but you will see me,

because I live and you will live.

On that day

you will understand that I am in my Father

and you in me and I in you.

Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them

will be one who loves me;

and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I shall love him and show myself to him.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 17:1-11 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Father, glorify your Son.

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Father, the hour has come:

glorify your Son

so that your Son may glorify you;

and, through the power over all mankind that you have given him,

let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.

And eternal life is this:

to know you,

the only true God,

and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

I have glorified you on earth

and finished the work

that you gave me to do.

‘Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me

with that glory I had with you

before ever the world was.

I have made your name known

to the men you took from the world to give me.

They were yours and you gave them to me,

and they have kept your word.

Now at last they know

that all you have given me comes indeed from you;

for I have given them

the teaching you gave to me,

and they have truly accepted this, that I came from you,

and have believed that it was you who sent me.

I pray for them;

I am not praying for the world

but for those you have given me,

because they belong to you:

all I have is yours

and all you have is mine,

and in them I am glorified.

I am not in the world any longer,

but they are in the world,

and I am coming to you.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:15-21 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

And I will ask the Father,

and he will give you another Advocate,

to be with you forever.

This is the Spirit of truth,

whom the world cannot receive,

because it neither sees him nor knows him.

You know him, because he abides with you,

and he will be in you.

“I will not leave you orphaned;

I am coming to you.

In a little while the world will no longer see me,

but you will see me;

because I live, you also will live.

On that day you will know that I am in my Father,

and you in me, and I in you.

“They who have my commandments and keep them

are those who love me;

and those who love me will be loved by my Father,

and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.