1 Corinthians 13.4-14.5
(Epistle)
4Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
5doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
1Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.
3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.
4He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.
5Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
Acts 6.8-7.5, 47-60
(Epistle, St Stephen)
8Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
9But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.
10They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
12They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, then brought him in to the council,
13and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.
14For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
15All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
1The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3and said to him, ‘Get out of your land and away from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’
4Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land where you are now living.
5He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his offspring after him, when he still had no child.
47But Solomon built him a house.
48However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
49‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of my rest?
50Didn’t my hand make all these things?’
51“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
52Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
53You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
54Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.
58They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60He kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Matthew 20.1-16
(Gospel)
1“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.
5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’
7“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’
8“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’
9“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
10When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
11When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
12saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’
13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
14Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.
15Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’
16So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Mark 12.1-12
(Gospel, St Stephen)
1He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.
2When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
3They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.
4Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5Again he sent another, and they killed him, and many others, beating some, and killing some.
6Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
8They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.
10Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner.
11This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him and went away.