Readings May 5, 2024
First Reading:
Peter is led by God to visit the home of a centurion name Cornelius. There Peter
testifies that Jesus is the lord of all. The gentiles empowered by the Holy Spirit
receive the Word of the Lord with joy. The First reading is from Acts chapter ten
verses thirty-four through forty-eight.
Acts 10:34–48 (People from every nation are accepted by God.)
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no
partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is
acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news
of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what
happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that
John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by
the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in
the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him
on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not
to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate
and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be
judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that
everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard
the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with
Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on
the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling
God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these
people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he
commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked
him to remain for some days.
Here ends the first reading.
Second Reading:
Christ comes to us through the Word and Sacrament. We are born of God. We
believe. The Second reading is from First John chapter five verses one through
eight.
1 John 5:1–8 (The victory of Christ overcomes the world.)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and
everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his
commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born
of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the
world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only
but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because
the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water
and the blood; and these three agree.
Here ends the second reading.