4th Sunday of Easter

Paul and Barnabas carried on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. On the

sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After that, when the assembly

broke up, many Jews and devout God-fearing people followed them and to these

they spoke, urging them to hold fast to the grace of God. The following sabbath almost

the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord.

But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose with

insults whatever Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, "It was

necessary that God's word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it and

judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For

thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations,

so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." Those who were not Jews

rejoiced when they heard this and praised the message of the Lord, and all those

destined for everlasting life believed in it. Thus the Word spread throughout the whole

region. Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing women of the upper class and

the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul

and Barnabas. Finally they had them expelled from their region. The apostles shook

the dust from their feet in protest against this people and went to Iconium, leaving the

disciples filled with joy and Holy Spirit.

I, John, saw a great crowd, impossible to count, from every nation, race, people and

tongue, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches

in their hands. One of the elder said, "They are those who have come out of the great

persecution; they have washed and made their clothes white in the blood of the Lamb.

This is why they stand before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his

sanctuary. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. I Never again will

they suffer hunger or thirst or be burned by the sun or any scorching wind. For the

Lamb near the throne will be their Shepherd, and he will bring them to springs of life-

giving water, and God will wipe away their tears."

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice and I know them; they follow me and I give

them eternal life. They shall never perish and no one will ever steal them from me.

What the Father has given me is stronger than everything and no one can snatch it

from the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."