First Reading

Reading from the book of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 11:18-20

In those days, Jeremiah said: «The Lord informed me, and I knew it; he showed me their deeds. I was like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, and I did not know what they were plotting against me, saying: ‘Let us destroy the tree in its full vigor, uproot it from the land of the living, so that its name may no longer be remembered.’

But you, Lord of hosts, just judge,
searcher of the heart and soul,
let me see your vengeance against them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.»

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint John

John 7:40-53

In those days, some of those who had heard Jesus began to say: «This is truly the prophet.» Others said: «This is the Messiah.» But others said: «Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Does not scripture say that the Messiah will come from the family of David, and from Bethlehem, the village of David?» Thus a division occurred among the people because of Jesus. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The temple guards, who had been sent to arrest Jesus, went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, and these said to them: «Why did you not bring him?» They answered: «No one has ever spoken like this man.» The Pharisees replied: «Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.»

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, said to them: «Does our law condemn a person without first giving him a hearing and finding out what he is doing?» They replied to him: «Are you a Galilean too? Look it up in the scriptures, and you will see that prophets do not arise from Galilee.» And each went to his own house.