2 Corinthians 9.12-10.7
(Epistle)
12For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God,
13seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all,
14while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.
15Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!
1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
2Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.
3For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;
4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,
5throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full.
7Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s.
Hebrews 9.1-7
(Epistle, Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos)
1Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary.
2For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place.
3After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,
4having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.
6Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,
7but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.
Mark 3.19-27
(Gospel)
19and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.
20The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him; for they said, “He is insane.”
22The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”
23He summoned them and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.
27But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.
Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28
(Gospel, Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos)
38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.
40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
27It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”
28But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”