Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁴ Peter stood up with the eleven apostles. He shouted, `You men of Judea and all who stay in Jerusalem, listen to me! I will tell you the truth.

²² `You men of Israel, listen to this. God showed you that he was pleased with this man, Jesus of Nazareth. He proved it by the big works and the wonderful signs which he did by Jesus right here among you people. And you yourselves know it.

^23-24 This same Jesus was given up. You let bad men take him. You let them nail him to a cross and kill him. This is just the way God had planned it. He knew how it would happen. But God raised him back to life. He set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him.

²⁵ `King David spoke about Jesus long ago. He said, "I saw the Lord before me always. He is at my right hand so that I may not be shaken.

^26-27 That made my heart very happy. It made my tongue sing for joy. And even my body also will rest in peace because you will not leave my body in the grave. You will not let your Holy One die and be spoiled.

²⁸ You have shown me the ways of life. You will make me very happy when I am with you."

²⁹ `My brothers, I can talk very plainly to you about your father, David. He died and was buried. His grave is still here today.

³⁰ He was a prophet. He knew that God had promised him that someone born of his family would sit on his chair to rule. That one was Christ.

³¹ David knew what would happen. So he said that Christ would be raised from death. Christ was not left in the grave. His body was not spoiled. David said all this before it ever happened.

³² And now we all saw it. We are telling people that God raised this Jesus back to life.

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He was very kind to us, and made us his children. So we have a new hope. This hope is a living hope because Jesus Christ was raised from death.

⁴ Because we are God's children, one day we shall receive special blessings. They cannot be spoiled in any way, and they will last for ever. They are kept safe in heaven for you.

⁵ You are saved by God's power because you believe. You will then be fully saved. The way is ready and you will see it when the end of time comes.

⁶ This makes you very glad, even though now maybe you are sad because you have troubles of many kinds. They are only for a short time.

⁷ To believe is worth more than to have gold. Gold can spoil, but it is tested by fire to show that it is good. So troubles test you to prove that you believe. Then, because you really believe, you will be praised and made great and have honour when Jesus Christ comes again.

⁸ You love him even though you have not seen him. You trust him even though you do not see him. And so you are very happy. No words can tell how happy you are. Your joy is very great.

⁹ God will reward you because you have believed. You will then be fully saved.

¹⁹ It was the first day of the week. In the evening the disciples were in a house together. The doors were shut because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood there with them. He said to them, `Peace to you!'

²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus said to them again, `Peace to you! My Father sent me: now I am sending you in the same way.'

²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, `Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ Whoever you make free from the wrong things they have done will be free. Whoever you do not make free from the wrong things they have done will not be free.'

²⁴ Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was called the Twin. He was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples told him about it. They said, `We have seen the Lord!' Thomas said, `I will not believe unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands. I will not believe unless I put my finger on the mark and feel his side with my hand.'

²⁶ Then eight days later his disciples were in the house again. This time Thomas was with them. The doors were shut. Then Jesus came and stood there with them. He said to them, `Peace to you!'

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, `Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Feel my side with your hand. Do not doubt anymore, but believe.'

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

²⁹ Jesus said to him, `You yourself have seen me. Is that why you now believe? God will bless people who believe though they have not seen me.'

³⁰ Jesus did many other big works when he was with the disciples. They are not written in this book.

³¹ But these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And when you believe in his name, then he will give you power to live.