Acts 8.18-25
(Epistle)
18Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God.
22Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
23For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
24Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”
25They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
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 6.35-39
(Gospel)
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
36But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don’t believe.
37All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.
38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
39This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.