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⁵Philip went down to the city^* of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah^* to them. ⁶The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, ⁷for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit ¹⁶(for as yet the Spirit had not come^* upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). ¹⁷Then Peter and John^* laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 66

Praise for God’s Goodness to Israel

To the leader. A Song. A Psalm.
¹ Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
²   sing the glory of his name;
   give to him glorious praise.
³ Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
   Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.
⁴ All the earth worships you;
   they sing praises to you,
   sing praises to your name.’
          Selah

⁵ Come and see what God has done:
   he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
⁶ He turned the sea into dry land;
   they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him,
⁷   who rules by his might for ever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
   let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
          Selah

¹⁶ Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for me.
²⁰ Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me.

¹⁵but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; ¹⁶yet do it with gentleness and reverence.^* Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. ¹⁸For Christ also suffered^* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you^* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

15 ‘If you love me, you will keep^* my commandments. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^* to be with you for ever. ¹⁷This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in^* you.

18 ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’