Acts 19.1-8
(Epistle, Forerunner)
1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.
2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
7They were about twelve men in all.
8He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
Hebrews 5.11-6.8
(Epistle)
11About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
12For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.
13For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
14But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
1Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,
2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3This will we do, if God permits.
4For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.
7For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;
8but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
John 1.29-34
(Gospel, Forerunner)
29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’
31I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water, that he would be revealed to Israel.”
32John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.
33I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
34I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Luke 20.1-8
(Gospel)
1On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.
2They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”
3He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:
4the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”
5They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.
8Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”