Friday, May 8

21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

22And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

24Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

3and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

5They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

13By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

20If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Feed My lambs.'

16He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Tend My sheep.'

17He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed My sheep.'

18Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.'

19This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me.'

20Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, 'Lord, who is the one who betrays You?'

21Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'But Lord, what about this man?'

22Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'

23Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?'

24This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

25And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

45And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

46For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

47Then Peter answered, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'

48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

1Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

2And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,

3saying, 'You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!'

4But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:

5'I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.

6When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

7And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'

8But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'

9But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'

10Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.

1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

2the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

3that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

4And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

5This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

6If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

21Then Jesus said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.'

22So the Jews said, 'Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?'

23And He said to them, 'You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.'

25Then they said to Him, 'Who are You?'

26And Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.'

27They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

29And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.'

30As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!'

27Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst!'

29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

31Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

33But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

35And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

36For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, 'Not one of His bones shall be broken.'

37And again another Scripture says, 'They shall look on Him whom they pierced.'

38After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.

39And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

40Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

42So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

1Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.'

3Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

7and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

8Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

9For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13Then they said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.'

14Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, 'Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.'

16Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him, 'Rabboni!' (which is to say, Teacher).

17Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' '

18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

19Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'

20When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.'

22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.

23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'

24Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'

26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!'

27Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.'

28And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'

29Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'

30And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;

31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

1After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:

2Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

3Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.'

4They said to him, 'We are going with you also.' They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5Then Jesus said to them, 'Children, have you any food?'

6They answered Him, 'No.' And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.

8But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

9Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.

10Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.'

11Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fiftythree; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.