1 John 4.20-5.21
(Epistle)
20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.
1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.
3For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
7For there are three who testify:
8the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.
10He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
11The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
15And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.
17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
18We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Ephesians 2.4-10
(Epistle, St. Theodore)
4But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
8for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9not of works, that no one would boast.
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
Mark 15.1-15
(Gospel)
1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.
2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.”
3The chief priests accused him of many things.
4Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!”
5But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.
6Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whomever they asked of him.
7There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder.
8The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them.
9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
10For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.
11But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead.
12Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13They cried out again, “Crucify him!”
14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”
15Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.
Matthew 10.16-22
(Gospel, St. Theodore)
16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
18Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
19But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.
20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.