Daily Bible Readings for Monday May 02, 2011

Reading 1, Acts 4:23-31

23 As soon as they were released they went to the community and told them everything the chief priests and elders had said to them.

24 When they heard it they lifted up their voice to God with one heart. 'Master,' they prayed, 'it is you who made sky and earth and sea, and everything in them;

25 it is you who said through the Holy Spirit and speaking through our ancestor David, your servant: Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples?

26 Kings on earth take up position, princes plot together against the Lord and his Anointed.

27 'This is what has come true: in this very city Herod and Pontius Pilate plotted together with the gentile nations and the peoples of Israel, against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,

28 to bring about the very thing that you in your strength and your wisdom had predetermined should happen.

29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats and help your servants to proclaim your message with all fearlessness,

30 by stretching out your hand to heal and to work miracles and marvels through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'

31 As they prayed, the house where they were assembled rocked. From this time they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God fearlessly.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 2:1-3, 4-6, 7-9

1 Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples?

2 Kings of the earth take up position, princes plot together against Yahweh and his anointed,

3 'Now let us break their fetters! Now let us throw off their bonds!'

4 He who is enthroned in the heavens laughs, Yahweh makes a mockery of them,

5 then in his anger rebukes them, in his rage he strikes them with terror.

6 'I myself have anointed my king on Zion my holy mountain.'

7 I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh: He said to me, 'You are my son, today have I fathered you.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations as your birthright, the whole wide world as your possession.

9 With an iron sceptre you will break them, shatter them like so many pots.'

Gospel, Jn 3:1-8

1 There was one of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews,

2 who came to Jesus by night and said, 'Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one could perform the signs that you do unless God were with him.'

3 Jesus answered: In all truth I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.

4 Nicodemus said, 'How can anyone who is already old be born? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born?'

5 Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit;

6 what is born of human nature is human; what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above.

8 The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.