OLD TESTAMENT READINGS FOR SUNDAYS IN EASTERTIDE
For those who require an Old Testament reading on the Sundays in Eastertide, provision is made for the Church of England or Church of Ireland/Church in Wales. If these are used, the reading from Acts must be used as the Second Reading.


EASTER 7 YEAR B


FIRST READING (Alternative readings)

Either Acts 1.15-17, 21-26

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people). He said,
16 'Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus -
17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us - one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.'
23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
24 Then they prayed and said, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.'
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Or Ezekiel 36.24-28 (Church Of England alternative)
If this is used, the reading from Acts (above) must be used as the Second Reading.

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel.
The word of the LORD came to me:
24 I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Or Exodus 28.1-4, 9-10, 29-30 (Church of Scotland/Church in Wales alternative)
If this is used, the reading from Acts (above) must be used as the Second Reading.

A reading from the book of Exodus.
The LORD said to Moses:
1 Bring near to you your brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests - Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadal and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2 You should make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron.
3 And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with skill, that they make Aaron's vestments to consecrate him for my priesthood.
4 These are the vestments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a chequered tunic, a turban, and a sash.
9 You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,
10 six of their names on one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.
29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgement on his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a continual remembrance before the LORD.
30 In the breastpiece of judgement you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD; thus Aaron shall bear the judgement of the Israelites on his heart before the LORD continually.


PSALM Psalm 1

R Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
or
R The Lord knows the way of the righteous.

1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on his law day and night. R
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper. R
4 It is not so with the wicked: they are like chaff which the wind blows away;
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed. R


SECOND READING (Alternative readings)

Either If the reading from Acts has been used as the first reading.

1 John 5.9-13

A reading from the first letter of John.
9 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.
10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Or If the Old Testament reading has been used as the first reading.

Acts 1.15-17, 21-26

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people). He said,
16 'Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus -
17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us - one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.'
23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
24 Then they prayed and said, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.'
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.


GOSPEL John 17.6-19

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed:
6 'Father, I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you;
8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.'