Acts 12.12-17
(Epistle)
12Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”
16But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed.
17But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
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 8.42-51
(Gospel)
42Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.
43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.
46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
47He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
48Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”
49Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.
50But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.
51Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”