EASTER 4 YEAR A      SUNDAY 26 April 2026

FIRST READING Acts 2.42–47

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Many were baptized and were added to the community.

 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their possessions and goods

and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,

they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

PSALM Psalm 23

R The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not be in want.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures

and leads me beside still waters. R

3 He revives my soul

and guides me along right pathways for his name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I shall fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. R

5 You spread a table before me

in the presence of those who trouble me;

you have anointed my head with oil,

and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. R

SECOND READING 1 Peter 2.19–25

A reading from the first letter of Peter.

Brothers and sisters:

It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly.

If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that?

But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it,

you have God’s approval.

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’

When he was abused, he did not return abuse;

when he suffered, he did not threaten;

but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,

so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness;

by his wounds you have been healed.

For you were going astray like sheep,

but now you have returned

to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

GOSPEL John 10.1–10

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

‘Very truly, I tell you,

anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate

but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him,

and the sheep hear his voice.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has brought out all his own,

he goes ahead of them,

and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

They will not follow a stranger,

but they will run from him

because they do not know the voice of strangers.’

Jesus used this figure of speech with them,

but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them,

‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and bandits;

but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the gate.

Whoever enters by me will be saved,

and will come in and go out and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’

 

EASTER 5 YEAR A SUNDAY 3 MAY 2026

FIRST READING Acts 7.55–60

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Standing before the high priest and the council,

Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,

gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God

and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened

and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’

But they covered their ears,

and with a loud shout all rushed together against him.

Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him;

and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed,

‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice,

‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’

When he had said this, he died.

PSALM Psalm 31.1–5, 15–16

R Let your face shine on your servants

[and we shall be saved].

1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me;

make haste to deliver me. R

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for you are my crag and my stronghold;

for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me. R

4 Take me out of the net

that they have secretly set for me,

for you are my tower of strength.

5 Into your hands I commend my spirit,

for you have redeemed me,

O Lord, O God of truth. R

15 My times are in your hand;

rescue me from the hand of my enemies,

and from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine upon your servant,

and in your loving-kindness save me. R

SECOND READING 1 Peter 2.2–10

A reading from the first letter of Peter.

Like newborn infants,

long for the pure, spiritual milk,

so that by it you may grow into salvation –

 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 Come to him, a living stone,

though rejected by mortals

yet chosen and precious in God’s sight.

 Like living stones,

let yourselves be built into a spiritual house,

to be a holy priesthood,

to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

through Jesus Christ.

For it stands in scripture:

‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’

 To you then who believe, he is precious;

but for those who do not believe,

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the very head of the corner,’ and

 ‘A stone that makes them stumble,

and a rock that makes them fall.’

They stumble because they disobey the word,

as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, God’s own people,

in order that you may proclaim

the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness

into his marvellous light.

Once you were not a people,

but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,

but now you have received mercy.

GOSPEL John 14.1–14

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places.

If it were not so, would I have told you

that I go to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and will take you to myself,

so that where I am, there you may be also.

And you know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said to him,

‘Lord, we do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way?’

Jesus said to him,

‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, you will know my Father also.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him,

‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’

Jesus said to him,

‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,

and you still do not know me?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, “Show us the Father”?

Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own;

but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

but if you do not,

then believe me because of the works themselves.

Very truly, I tell you,

the one who believes in me

will also do the works that I do and, in fact,

will do greater works than these,

because I am going to the Father.

I will do whatever you ask in my name,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If in my name you ask me for anything,

I will do it.’