Acts 5.21-33
(Epistle)
21When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest and those who were with him came and called the council together, with all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,
23“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
24Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.
25One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”
26Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
27When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,
28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.
31God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
32We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
Acts 26.1-5, 12-20
(Epistle, Appearance of the Cross over Jerusalem)
1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
2“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,
3especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4“Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
John 6.14-27
(Gospel)
14When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, “This is truly the prophet who comes into the world.”
15Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea.
17They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
18The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.
19When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
20But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
21They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
22On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn’t entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.
23However, boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
24When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
26Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”