Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁷ When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council,^[a] and the high priest began to question them. ²⁸ He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn’t we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!”

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you killed him by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to extend repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him.”

A Psalm of Praise

⁴ From^[a] John to the seven churches in Asia. May grace and peace be yours from the one who is, who was, and who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus the Messiah,^[b] the witness, the faithful one,^[c] the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has freed^[d] us from our sins by his blood ⁶ and has made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

So be it! Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” declares the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”

Jesus Appears to the Disciples^(A)

¹⁹ It was the evening of the first day of the week,^[a] and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.^[b] Jesus came and stood among them. He told them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord, the disciples were overjoyed. ²¹ Jesus told them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and told them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people’s sins, they are retained.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Thomas, one of the Twelve (called the Twin),^[c] wasn’t with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples kept telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he told them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into them,^[d] and put my hand into his side, I’ll never believe!”

²⁶ A week later, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus came, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, but believe.”

²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus told him, “Is it because you’ve seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!”

The Purpose of the Book

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his^[e] disciples that are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,^[f] the Son of God, and so that through believing you may have life in his name.