Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁵ The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. “By what power did you do this?” they asked. “And through whose name?”

⁸ Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed? ¹⁰ Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you. ¹¹ Scripture says that Jesus is

¹² You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”

A psalm of David.

¹⁶ We know what love is because Jesus Christ gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, don’t just talk about love. Put your love into action. Then it will truly be love.

¹⁹ Here’s how we know that we hold to the truth. And here’s how we put our hearts at rest, knowing that God is watching. ²⁰ If our hearts judge us, we know that God is greater than our hearts. And he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not judge us, we can be bold with God. ²² And he will give us anything we ask. That’s because we obey his commands. We do what pleases him. ²³ God has commanded us to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. He has also commanded us to love one another. ²⁴ The one who obeys God’s commands remains joined to him. And he remains joined to them. Here is how we know that God lives in us. We know it because of the Holy Spirit he gave us.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired man is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when the hired man sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired man. He does not care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me. ¹⁵ They know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I give my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that do not belong to this sheep pen. I must bring them in too. They also will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I give up my life. But I will take it back again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me. I give it up myself. I have the authority to give it up. And I have the authority to take it back again. I received this command from my Father.”