Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸ saying, ^(A)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(B)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(C)blood on us!”

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^(D)“We ought to obey God rather than men. ^30 (E)The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by ^(F)hanging on a tree. ^31 (G)Him God has exalted to His right hand to be ^(H)Prince and ^(I)Savior, ^(J)to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And ^(K)we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit ^(L)whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Let All Things Praise the Lord

Greeting the Seven Churches

⁴ John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him ^(A)who is and ^(B)who was and who is to come, ^(C)and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, ^(D)the faithful ^(E)witness, the ^(F)firstborn from the dead, and ^(G)the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him ^(H)who ^[a]loved us ^(I)and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has ^(J)made us ^[b]kings and priests to His God and Father, ^(K)to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

⁷ Behold, He is coming with ^(L)clouds, and every eye will see Him, even ^(M)they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

^8 (N)“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ^[c]the Beginning and the End,” says the ^[d]Lord, ^(O)“who is and who was and who is to come, the ^(P)Almighty.”

The Apostles Commissioned^(A)

^19 (B)Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were ^[a]assembled, for ^(C)fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ^(D)“Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When He had said this, He ^(E)showed them His hands and His side. ^(F)Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! ^(G)As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ^23 (H)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Seeing and Believing

²⁴ Now Thomas, ^(I)called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” ²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and ^(J)reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be ^(K)unbelieving, but believing.”

²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said to him, ^[b]“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. ^(L)Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That You May Believe

³⁰ And ^(M)truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ^31 (N)but these are written that ^(O)you may believe that Jesus ^(P)is the Christ, the Son of God, ^(Q)and that believing you may have life in His name.