January 25, 2021

The Acts of the Apostles    22: 3-16

20:3	After he had spent three months there, treacheries were planned against him by the Jews, just as he was about to sail into Syria. And having been advised of this, he return through Macedonia.
20:4	Now those accompanying him were Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus from Beroea; and also the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and also Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.
20:5	These, after they had gone ahead, waited for us at Troas.
20:6	Yet truly, we sailed from Philippi, after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we went to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
20:7	Then, on the first Sabbath, when we had assembled together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to set out the next day. But he prolonged his sermon into the middle of the night.
20:8	Now there were plenty of lamps in the upper room, where we were gathered.
20:9	And a certain adolescent named Eutychus, sitting on the window sill, was being weighed down by a heavy drowsiness (for Paul was preaching at length). Then, as he went to sleep, he fell from the third floor room downward. And when he was lifted up, he was dead.
20:10	When Paul had gone down to him, he laid himself over him and, embracing him, said, “Do not worry, for his soul is still within him.”
20:11	And so, going up, and breaking bread, and eating, and having spoken well on until daylight, he then set out.
20:12	Now they had brought the boy in alive, and they were more than a little consoled.
20:13	Then we climbed aboard the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take in Paul. For so he himself had decided, since he was making the journey by land.
20:14	And when he had joined us at Assos, we took him in, and we went to Mitylene.
20:15	And sailing from there, on the following day, we arrived opposite Chios. And next we landed at Samos. And on the following day we went to Miletus.
20:16	For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not be delayed in Asia. For he was hurrying so that, if it were possible for him, he might observe the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.

Or:

Acts 9: 1- 22

9:1	Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
9:2	and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
9:3	And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him.
9:4	And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
9:5	And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”
9:6	And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
9:7	And the Lord said to him, “Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do.” Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one.
9:8	Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
9:9	And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.
9:10	Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
9:11	And the Lord said to him: “Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.”
9:12	(And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.)
9:13	But Ananias responded: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
9:14	And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.”
9:15	Then the Lord said to him: “Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel.
9:16	For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.”
9:17	And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
9:18	And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized.
9:19	And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days.
9:20	And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God.
9:21	And all who heard him were astonished, and they said, “Is this not the one who, in Jerusalem, was fighting against those invoking this name, and who came here for this: so that he might lead them away to the leaders of the priests?”
9:22	But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ.

The Holy Gospel According to Mark     16:  15-18

16:15	And he said to them: “Go forth to the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
16:16	Whoever will have believed and been baptized will be saved. Yet truly, whoever will not have believed will be condemned.
16:17	Now these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons. They will speak in new languages.
16:18	They will take up serpents, and, if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they will be well.”