Fifth
Sunday of Easter
FIRST
READING: Acts 9:26-31
26
And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to
the disciples; and they all were afraid of him, not believing that he
was a disciple.
27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and told them
how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him; and how in
Damascus he had dealt confidently in the name of Jesus.
28
And he was with them coming in and going out in Jerusalem, and
dealing confidently in the name of the Lord.
29
He spoke also to the Gentiles, and disputed with the Greeks; but they
sought to kill him.
30
Which when the brethren had known, they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him away to Tarsus.
31
Now the church had peace throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and
Samaria; and was edified, walking in the fear of the Lord, and was
filled with the consolation of the Holy Ghost.
PSALM:
Psalms 22:26-28, 30-32
26
With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the
sight of them that fear him.
27
The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the
Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
28
All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to
the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his
sight.
30
All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they
that go down to the earth shall fall before him.
31
And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him.
32
There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the
heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born,
which the Lord hath made.
SECOND
READING: 1 John 3:18-24
18
My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in
deed, and in truth.
19
In this we know that we are of the truth: and in his sight shall
persuade our hearts.
20
For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart, and
knoweth all things.
21
Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence
towards God:
22
And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep
his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his
sight.
23
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of
his Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as he hath given
commandment unto us.
24
And he that keepeth his commandments, abideth in him, and he in him.
And in this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he
hath given us.
GOSPEL:
John 15:1-8
1 I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.
6 If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 In this is my Father glorified; that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples.
