Daily Readings - 23/04/2026

^8:26 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, ‘Be ready to set out at noon along the road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road’.

^8:27 So he set off on his journey. Now it happened that an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia, and was in fact her chief treasurer.

^8:28 He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

^8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and meet that chariot’.

^8:30 When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’

^8:31 ‘How can I’ he replied ‘unless I have someone to guide me?’ So he invited Philip to get in and sit by his side.

^8:32 Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this: Like a sheep that is led to the slaughter-house, like a lamb that is dumb in front of its shearers, like these he never opens his mouth.

^8:33 He has been humiliated and has no one to defend him. Who will ever talk about his descendants, since his life on earth has been cut short![*b]

^8:34 The eunuch turned to Philip and said, ‘Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?’

^8:35 Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the Good News of Jesus to him.

^8:36 Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘Look, there is some water here; is there anything to stop me being baptised?'[*c]

^8:38 He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptised him.

^8:39 But after they had come up out of the water again Philip was taken away by the Spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

^8:40 Philip found that he had reached Azotus and continued his journey proclaiming the Good News in every town as far as Caesarea.

^66:1 Acclaim God, all the earth,

^66:2 play music to the glory of his name, glorify him with your praises,

^66:3 say to God, ‘What dread you inspire!’ Your achievements are the measure of your power. Your enemies cringe in your presence;

^66:4 all the earth bows down to you, playing music for you, playing in honour of your name. (pause)

^66:5 Come and see what marvels God has done, so much to be feared for his deeds among mankind:

^66:6 he turned the sea into dry land, they crossed the river on foot! So let us rejoice in him,

^66:7 who rules for ever by his power: his eyes keep watch on the nations, let no rebel raise his head! (pause)

^66:8 You nations, bless our God and make his praise resound,

^66:9 who brings our soul to life and keeps our feet from faltering.

^66:10 You tested us, God, you refined us like silver,

^66:11 you let us fall into the net, you laid heavy burdens on our backs,

^66:12 you let people drive over our heads; but now the ordeal by fire and water is over, and you allow us once more to draw breath.

^66:13 I bring holocausts to your house, I bring them to fulfil those vows

^66:14 that rose to my lips, those vows I spoke when in trouble.

^66:15 I offer you fat holocausts and the smoke of burning rams, I offer you bullocks and he-goats.

^66:16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, while I tell you what he has done for me:

^66:17 when I uttered my cry to him and high praise was on my tongue,

^66:18 had I been guilty in my heart, the Lord would never have heard me.

^66:19 But God not only heard me, he listened to my prayer.

^66:20 Blessed be God, who neither ignored my prayer nor deprived me of his love.

^6:44 ‘No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him up at the last day.

^6:45 It is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God,[*b] and to hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it, is to come to me.

^6:46 Not that anybody has seen the Father, except the one who comes from God: he has seen the Father.

^6:47 I tell you most solemnly, everybody who believes has eternal life.

^6:48 I am the bread of life.

^6:49 Your fathers ate the manna in the desert and they are dead;

^6:50 but this is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die.

^6:51 I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’