Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord”. The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But, before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood.

The place of the crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never before used. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. That is what the scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.”

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the Church. And the Church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Peter replied," Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home. The Lord will reign forever and ever!

He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen