The Martyrdom of St. Stephen, 1616-17, Peter Paul Rubens, oil on canvas at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Valenciennes, France

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, May 7: Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10 and John 14:1-14. The text is from the Bible Study Tools - New Revised Standard Version.

Acts 7:55-60

⁵⁵ But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" ⁵⁷ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸ Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

¹ In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
     do not let me ever be put to shame;
     in your righteousness deliver me.

² Incline your ear to me;
     rescue me speedily.

Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
     ³ You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
      for your name's sake lead me and guide me,

⁴ take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
     for you are my refuge.

⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit;
     you have redeemed me,
     O Lord, faithful God.

¹⁵ My times are in your hand;
     deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

¹⁶ Let your face shine upon your servant;
     save me in your steadfast love.

1 Peter 2:2-10

² Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴ Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and ⁵ like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in scripture:

    "See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
         a cornerstone chosen and precious;
     and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

⁷ To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

    "The stone that the builders rejected
         has become the very head of the corner,"

⁸ and

    "A stone that makes them stumble,
         and a rock that makes them fall."

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

    ¹⁰ Once you were not a people,
         but now you are God's people;
     once you had not received mercy,
         but now you have received mercy.

John 14:1-14

Jesus said, ¹ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going." ⁵ Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" ⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

⁸ Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." ⁹ Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father'? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.