Year A – Easter 4
Full-text of the Appointed Lessons (RSV and NRSV), with instructions for lectors
April 26 – 4 Easter – RCL
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
Acts 2:42-47
The newly formed community of Christian disciples is solid in its commitment to the apostolic faith and to each other, living joyfully in the abundance of charity.
A reading (lesson) from the Acts of the Apostles:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: The believers devoted themselves…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
New Revised Standard Version
The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
1 Peter 2:19-25
As an encouragement to persevere against unjust suffering, Peter recounts the story of Jesus’ death with words that echo the prophet Isaiah’s image of the Suffering Servant.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Peter:
(Lead in with) RSV: One is approved if…; NRSV: It is a credit to you…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
One is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
New Revised Standard Version
It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
John 10:1-10
Jesus uses a parable to highlight the qualities of a good shepherd, then explains that he is the standard by which we should judge faith-filled leadership.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to John:
(Lead in with) RSV: Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say…”; NRSV: Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you…”
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
New Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
April 26 – 4 Easter – BCP
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
(And for the Alternate Second Lesson)
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
The church spiritually equips seven men for servant ministry as the first deacons. But the power of Stephen’s preaching provokes the people and they turn on him, making him the first Christian martyr.
A reading (lesson) from the Acts of the Apostles:
(Lead in with) RSV: Now in the days…; NRSV: Now during those days…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Now in the days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. (And they brought him before the council.) And Stephen said: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
New Revised Standard Version
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.(And they brought him before the council.) And Stephen said: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.” When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. 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. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 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. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 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.
ILLUMINATION for the Alternate First Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
Nehemiah 9:6-15
Ezra enumerates the Lord’s mighty acts and praises his wonderful goodness to his people. He gives thanks for God’s faithfulness, which he later would contrast with Israel’s infidelity.
A reading (lesson) from the Book of the Prophet Nehemiah:
(Lead in with) RSV: Ezra said, “Thou art the Lord…”; NRSV: Ezra said, “You are the Lord…”
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Ezra said: “Thou art the LORD, thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and thou preservest all of them; and the host of heaven worships thee. Thou art the LORD, the God who didst choose Abram and bring him forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans and give him the name Abraham; and thou didst find his heart faithful before thee, and didst make with him the covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite; and thou hast fulfilled thy promise, for thou art righteous. And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and hear their cry at the Red Sea, and didst perform signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for thou knewest that they acted insolently against our fathers; and thou didst get thee a name, as it is to this day. And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land; and thou didst cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud thou didst lead them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. Thou didst come down upon Mount Sinai, and speak with them from heaven and give them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and thou didst make known to them thy holy sabbath and command them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses thy servant. Thou didst give them bread from heaven for their hunger and bring forth water for them from the rock for their thirst, and thou didst tell them to go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.”
New Revised Standard Version
Ezra said: “You are the LORD, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham; and you found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite; and you have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous. And you saw the distress of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea. You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted insolently against our ancestors. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the sea on dry land, but you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go. You came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known your holy sabbath to them and gave them commandments and statutes and a law through your servant Moses. For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you swore to give them.”
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
1 Peter 2:19-25
As an encouragement to persevere against unjust suffering, Peter recounts the story of Jesus’ death with words that echo the prophet Isaiah’s image of the Suffering Servant.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Peter:
(Lead in with) RSV: One is approved if…; NRSV: It is a credit to you…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
One is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
New Revised Standard Version
It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 26, 2026
John 10:1-10
Jesus uses a parable to highlight the qualities of a good shepherd, then explains that he is the standard by which we should judge faith-filled leadership.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to John:
(Lead in with) RSV: Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say…”; NRSV: Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you…”
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
New Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Living Word | Lectionary Preaching Aids
Exploring the Texts
“And what happens if his voice is drowned out? Let’s be honest, there are competitors. Our ears are filled, hour by hour, with other voices. Our eyes are captivated with other faces. Only by really listening, day by day, year by year, to the one shepherd will we ever know his accent.”
“As Christ’s body, the Church is the guardian of teaching, fellowship, signs, wonders, the breaking of bread, and prayers (Acts 2). In all of these the risen Lord is truly present. He has burst from the grave and stands among us ‘that we may have life and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10b).”
Ellen Charry: Good Shepherd, Religious Conflict
“How shall the Church preach and teach this pericope? Many will choose to preach on the offering of abundant life for Jesus’ followers and not mention what preceded it. But how might those intrepid enough to want to face into this angry depiction of division find it pastorally useful?”
Preaching Today
Patrick Gahan: Skating
“The new kingdom into which Christ invites us looks more like that skating rink than a lot of churches. According to Jesus, kingdom living is to be experienced in communion with all walks and varieties of people, whom we would never know except for our shared love for him.”
Dave Johnson: The Shepherd and Guardian of Your Souls
“The reason lost sheep return to God is not because the lost sheep suddenly figure out where they are and decide to return home (or they would not be ‘lost’ to begin with). The reason lost sheep return to God is because Jesus Christ your Good Shepherd searches for you until he finds you.”
Audrey Scanlan: Shepherding and Hefting
“We are valuable and eternally redeemable in God’s eyes, but the call is to heft — to be with each other, caring for each other, giving to those who have less, lifting up the lowly among us, sharing our gifts for the good of the whole.”
Classic Texts
John Calvin: A Living Portrait
“Do we seek the true church of Christ? Here for us it is depicted as a living portrait. Luke begins with doctrine, which is the soul of the church. He does not name doctrine of any kind, but that of the apostles which the Son of God had delivered by their hands.”
Richard Crashaw: I Am Fed
“While I feast, my foes do feed
Their rank malice not their need,
So that with the self-same bread
They are starved, and I am fed.”
Augustine: Seeking the Gatekeeper
“We understand the door as the Lord Jesus Christ, and the shepherd as well, for these two things Christ himself explained; but whom do we understand as the gatekeeper? He has left the meaning of the gatekeeper to be sought by us.”
Articles on Generosity
Thomas Kincaid: John Chrysostom and the Virtue of Giving
“I love stewardship season, and I love asking people for money. Why? Because Chrysostom’s right: Learning to use money effectively for God’s purpose is fundamental to our discipleship. Parish giving programs create a hotbed of energy that ought to be directed toward the formation of Christian disciples.”
Mark Michael: Giving Is a Holy Madness
“When love becomes complete, surely our fear of scarcity and our need for self-preservation pass away. Our need to close the purse is a curse of this life only, part of sin’s long shadow over all things.”
John Orens: Sharing the Vision
“They remind us, he writes, that love, not competition, is the first truth of human relations. They emphasize that the duties we owe one another are more important than the right to pursue our self-interest. And they understand that a society recognizing human dignity as a divine gift rather than a social construct can nourish authentic personhood.”
Articles on Christian Fellowship
Katelyn Beaty: Friendship in God’s Kingdom — 20 Minutes with Wes Hill
“You can’t read someone like Aelred of Rievaulx or Bonhoeffer and not conclude that friendship is just as honorable, and worthy of time and energy, as marriage and family. Friendship, too, can be a site of sacrifice and devotion, a place where we give and receive genuine love.”
Mac Stewart: St. Basil’s Wisdom on Community
“In the body of Christ there are no spiritual resumes. We act as one organism in the world. If I am sitting beside a man as he dies, I can count on my brother to look after the hospitality at the house. If you are instructing the uninstructed, you can count on your sister to pray for the living and the dead.”
Terence Chandra: The Joker, the Loneliness Epidemic, and the Mission of the Church
“If Christians were present in this bleak, urban wasteland… then their calling would be this: both to proclaim and to live out the summing-up of all things in Christ. Their calling would be to identify the discarded ones, the lost ones, the forgotten ones, and invite them to sit at their table, sharing in the life-giving bonds of fellowship and love.”
Articles on the Good Shepherd
Abigail Woolley Cutter: All We, Like Turtles
“There have been two seasons in my life when Psalm 23 was my mantra. In the first, I felt like I was trapped ‘in the presence of my enemies,’ and in the second, nothing felt truer than that ‘he restores my soul.’ Both experiences make a lot more sense in context.”
Samuel Keyes: Getting Saved
“The reason the message of Christ spread so rapidly among the poor and outcast of the first century (and every century) is not that it promised to fix all injustice or ‘speak truth to power,’ but that it offered the hope of salvation.”
“But there’s something special about this ‘comforting.’ Our Shepherd’s gift is not just for making us cozy. Comfort literally means to strengthen (‘com’+ ‘fort,’ with strength). As our Shepherd revives us and anoints us, he sends us forward to live our lives.”
