Bible Readings - May 14, 2024

Reading 1

Acts 19:13-20

Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

When the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, tried to do this,

the evil spirit said to them in reply, “Jesus I recognize, Paul I know, but who are you?”

The person with the evil spirit then sprang at them and subdued them all. He so overpowered them that they fled naked and wounded from that house.

When this became known to all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Ephesus, fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in great esteem.

Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices.

Moreover, a large number of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in public. They calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand silver pieces.

Thus did the word of the Lord continue to spread with influence and power.

Psalm 113:1-8

Praise, you servants of the LORD,

            praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD

            both now and forever.

From the rising to the setting of the sun

            is the name of the LORD to be praised.

High above all nations is the LORD;

            above the heavens is his glory.

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high

            and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?

He raises up the lowly from the dust;

            from the dunghill he lifts up the poor

To seat them with princes,

            with the princes of his own people.

John 15:16

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you

and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

Gospel

John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.

Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,

just as I have kept my Father’s commandments

and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you

and your joy might be complete.

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

No one has greater love than this,

to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I no longer call you slaves,

because a slave does not know what his master is doing.

I have called you friends,

because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you

and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

This I command you:  love one another.”