Readings for the Conversion of St Paul (Epiphany 3) – 25th January 2026

Collect for the Conversion of St Paul

Almighty God, who caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world

through the preaching of your servant St Paul; grant that we who celebrate his

wonderful conversion may follow him in bearing witness to your truth; through Jesus

Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy

Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, verses 1 to 22

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,

went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so

that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them

bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus,

suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a

voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are

you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and

enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were travelling

with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up

from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led

him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without

sight and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a

vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up

and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of

Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man

named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil

he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief

priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an

instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and

before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the

sake of my name.” So, Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on

Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here,

has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And

immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored.

Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his

strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began

to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard

him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem

among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of

bringing them bound before the chief priests?” Saul became increasingly more

powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was

the Messiah.

A reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, chapter 1, verses 11 to 16a

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is

not of human origin, for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it,

but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting

the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many

among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my

ancestors. But when the one who had set me apart before I was born and called me

through his grace was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him

among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human.

A reading from the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, verses 27 to 30

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then

will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when

the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will

also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has

left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or] children or fields for

my name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who

are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Second Collect

Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent your Holy Spirit to the apostles with

the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to

preach the gospel; by the power of the same Spirit strengthen us to witness to your

truth and to draw everyone to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen