First Reading

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 5:17-26

In those days, the high priest and those with him, who were of the party of the Sadducees, filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, «Go and take your place in the temple and speak to the people all about this life.» When they heard this, at dawn they entered the temple and there they began to teach.

The high priest and his companions came and convened the Sanhedrin, that is, the senate of the children of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought in. But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison. So they came back and reported, «We found the prison securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.»

When they heard this report from the court officers, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. Then someone came in and reported to them, «The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.»

Then the captain and his men went and brought them back, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to John

John 3:16-21

«For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.»