Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Believers Shared Everything

³² The whole group of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they held everything in common. ³³ The apostles continued to testify about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ^[a] with great power, and abundant grace was on all of them. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them. For from time to time those who were owners of lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds received from what was sold, ³⁵ and laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was distributed to each one according to what anyone needed.

Psalm 133

Pleasant Unity

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A song of the ascents. By David.

Pleasant Unity

The Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have observed and our hands have touched regarding the Word of Life— ² the life appeared, and we have seen it. We testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We are proclaiming what we have seen and heard also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ We write these things to you so that our^[a] joy may be complete.

Walking in the Light

⁵ This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him but still walk in darkness, we are lying and do not put the truth into practice. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ,^[b] his Son, cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say 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 out to be a liar, and his Word^[c] is not in us.

2 My children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world.

Behind Locked Doors

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” ²² After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Thomas Finally Believes

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin,^[a] was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.”

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

²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel Account

³⁰ Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.