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 7 YEAR C

FIRST READING (Alternative Readings)

Either Acts 16.16­34

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, 'These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.'
18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities.
20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, 'These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs
21 that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.'
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, 'Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.'
29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them outside and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
31 They answered, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'
32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.
34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

Or Ezekiel 36.24­28 (Church of England additional option)

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel.
The word of the LORD came to me:
24 I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Or 1 Samuel 12.19­24 (Church of Ireland/Church in Wales alternative)

A reading from the first book of Samuel.
19 All the people said to Samuel, 'Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of demanding a king for ourselves.'
20 And Samuel said to the people, 'Do not be afraid: you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
21 and do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they are useless.
22 For the LORD will not cast away his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you: and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.'

PSALM Psalm 97

R The Lord is king, most high over all the earth.

1 The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.
3 A fire goes before him and burns up his enemies on every side. R
4 His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees it and is afraid.
5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. R
7 Confounded be all who worship carved images and delight in false gods! Bow down before him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad and the cities of Judah rejoice, because of your judgements, O Lord.
9 For you are the Lord: most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. R
10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; he preserves the lives of his saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are true-hearted.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name. R

SECOND READING (Alternative Readings)

Either (If the reading from Acts has been used for the first reading)
Revelation 22.12­14, 16­17, 20­21

A reading from the book of Revelation.
I, John, heard a voice saying to me:
12 'See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.'
14 Blessèd are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
16 'It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.'
17 The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let everyone who hears say, 'Come.' And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
20 The one who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Or (If either of the alternative readings has been used for the first reading)
Acts 16.16­34

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, 'These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.'
18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities.
20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, 'These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs
21 that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.'
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, 'Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.'
29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them outside and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
31 They answered, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'
32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.
34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

GOSPEL John 17.20­26

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed: 'Holy Father,
20 I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,
21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me.
26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.'

Reuben Condie Reuben Condie