Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

³² And the whole number of those who believed were of one heart and of one soul. Also, none of them said that any of the things that he possessed was his own, but had all things in common. ³³ And with great power the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was with them all. ³⁴ Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as possessed lands or houses sold them, and brought the money from the things that were sold, ³⁵ and laid it down at the apostles’ feet. And distribution was made to every person according to his need.

True witness of the everlasting word of God. The blood of Christ is the purgation from sin. No man is without sin.

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life – ² for the life appeared, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you that eternal life, which was with the Father and appeared to us – ³ that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you so that you may have fellowship with us, and so that our fellowship may be with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And this we write to you so that your joy may be full.

⁵ And this is the tidings that we have heard from him and declare to you: that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in light, even as he is in light, then we have fellowship with him, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Christ is our advocate. Of true love, and how it is tried.

2 My little children, these things I write to you so that you do not sin. Yet if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father: Jesus Christ the Righteous, ² and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world. 

¹⁹ The same day at night, which was the day after the Sabbath day, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you. ²⁰ And when he had so said, he showed to them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As my Father sent me, so I also send you.

²² And when he had said that, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ Whosever sins you remit, they are remitted to them, and whosever sins you retain, they are retained.

²⁴ But Thomas (called Didymus), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ The other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord! And he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the marks 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. Then Jesus came when the doors were shut and stood in their midst and said, Peace be with you.

²⁷ After that he said to Thomas, Bring your finger here, and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.

²⁸ Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God!

²⁹ Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, therefore you believe. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!

³⁰ And Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹ These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and so that in believing you may have life through his name.