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Here are the April 2020 Bible readings. Since none of us, at least here in the UK, are likely to be in a church building this month, please take the opportunity to read the scriptures and reflect on what they might be saying to you. Take a look at this recent post to help you in that. For other prayer and worship resources that can be used at home please follow this link.

April 2020 includes Easter. So, we have the immediate build up when Jesus enters Jerusalem, Good Friday, the Resurrection and then what happens next…

• April 5th – Palm Sunday: Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Philippians 2: 5-11; Matthew 21: 1-11
• April 10th – Good Friday: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42
• April 12th – Easter Sunday: Jeremiah 31: 1-6; Acts 10: 34-43; John 20: 1-18
• April 19th – 2nd of Easter: Acts 2: 14a, 22-32; 1 Peter 1: 3-9; John 20: 19-31
• April 26th – 3rd of Easter: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 1: 17-23; Luke 24: 13-35

If you don’t have access to a Bible then please follow this link to the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. It doesn’t always match up but it shouldn’t be too far off! Plus it will give you all the extra readings for Holy Week.

John 20:1-18 The empty tomb, Jesus and Mary Magdalene

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.

The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.

Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Why are you weeping?

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.

They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

For the March 2020 bible readings please press here.