Friday of Easter Week

Collect
Almighty Father, who hast given thy only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: Give us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Epistle: Acts 4:1-12
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is
'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Psalm 116:1-8

1. I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
   because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
2. The cords of death entangled me;
   the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
   I came to grief and sorrow.
3. Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
   "O LORD, I pray you, save my life."
4. Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
   our God is full of compassion.
5. The LORD watches over the innocent; *
   I was brought very low, and he helped me.
6. Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
   for the LORD has treated you well.
7. For you have rescued my life from death, *
   my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
8. I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
   in the land of the living.

OR

Psalm 118:19-24

• Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
  I will enter them;
  I will offer thanks to the LORD.
• "This is the gate of the LORD; *
  he who is righteous may enter."
• I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
  and have become my salvation.
• The same stone which the builders rejected *
  has become the chief cornerstone.
• This is the LORD'S doing, *
  and it is marvelous in our eyes.
• On this day the LORD has acted; *
  we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Gospel: John 21:1-14
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."

Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Collect & Psalm from the Book of Common Prayer
Other excerpts from the New International Bible

Sts. Vidicon & Isidore