The Book of Common Prayer Table of
contents
The Fourth Sunday after Easter
The Collect
O Almighty God, who
alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men;
Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou
commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among
the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely
there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle
St. James 1.17-21
Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness
of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is
able to save your souls.
The Gospel
St. John 16.5-15
Jesus said unto
his disciples, Now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you
asketh me, Whither goest thou? But, because I have said these
things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless, I
tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement:
of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I
go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgement, because the
prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All
things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he
shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Text from The Book of Common Prayer, the
rights in which are vested in the Crown,
is reproduced by permission of the Crown's Patentee, Cambridge
University Press.