The Second Sunday of Easter

OLD TESTAMENT READINGS FOR SUNDAYS IN EASTERTIDE
For those who require an Old Testament reading on the Sundays in Eastertide, provision is made below for the Church of England or Church of Ireland/Church in Wales. If these are used, the reading from Acts must be used as the Second Reading.

EASTER 2 YEAR C

FIRST READING (Alternative readings)

Either Acts 5.2732

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
27 When the temple police had brought the apostles, they made them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying,
28 'We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us.'
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than any human authority.
30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.'

or Exodus 14.1031; 15.2021 (Church Of England alternative)
If this is used, the reading from Acts (above) must be used as the Second Reading.

A reading from the book of Exodus.
10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the LORD.
11 They said to Moses, 'Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt?
12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, "Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians"? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.'
13 But Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again.
14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.'
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.
16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground.
17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.'
19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.
20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided.
22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and chariot drivers.
24 At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.
25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, 'Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.'
26 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.'
27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea.
28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.
29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31 Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.
21 And Miriam sang to them: 'Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.'

or Job 42.16 (Church of Scotland/Church in Wales alternative)
If this is used, the reading from Acts (above) must be used as the Second Reading.

A reading from the book of Job.
1 Job answered the LORD:
2 'I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 "Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?" Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 "Hear, and I will speak: I will question you, and you declare to me."
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.'

PSALM

Either Psalm 118.1429

R This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
or
R Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
15 There is a sound of exultation and victory in the tents of the righteous:
16 'The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! the right hand of the Lord is exalted! the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!' R
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has punished me sorely, but he did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord. R
20 'This is the gate of the Lord; whoever is righteous may enter.'
21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone.
23 This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. R
24 On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Hosanna, Lord, hosanna! Lord, send us now success.
26 Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. R
27 God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
28 'You are my God and I will thank you; you are my God and I will exalt you.'
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever. R

Or Psalm 150

R Praise God in his holy temple.

1 Alleluia! Praise God in his holy temple; Praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him for his excellent greatness. R
3 Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; praise him with lyre and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe. R
5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Alleluia! R

SECOND READING (Alternative readings)

Either If the reading from Acts has been used as the first reading.

Revelation 1.48

A reading from the book of Revelation.
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,
6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.
8 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Or If the Old Testament reading has been used as the first reading.

Acts 5.2732

GOSPEL John 20.1931

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
19 It was evening on the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.'
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.'
22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.'
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.'
27 Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.'
28 Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'
29 Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessèd are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.'
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.
31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Reuben Condie