3[1] Kings 8.22-23, 27-30
(Vespers)
22And Solomon stood up in front of the altar before all the congregation of Israel; and he spread out his hands toward heaven:
23and he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above and on the earth beneath, keeping covenant and mercy with your servant who walks before you with all his heart;
27But will God indeed dwell with men upon the earth? if the heaven and heaven of heavens will not suffice you, how much less even this house which I have built to your name?
28Yet, O Lord God of Israel, you shall look upon my petition, to hear the prayer which your servant prays to you in your presence this day,
29that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place which you said, My name shall be there, to hear the prayer which your servant prays at this place day and night.
30And you shall listen to the prayer of your servant, and of your people Israel, which they shall pray toward this place; and you shall hear in your dwelling-place in heaven, and you shall do and be gracious.
Proverbs 3.19-34
(Vespers)
19God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21My son, let them not pass from you, but keep my counsel and understanding:
22that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have power to help him.
28Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do him good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
33The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
Proverbs 9.1-11
(Vespers)
1Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars.
2She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
3She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
4Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that lack understanding she says,
5Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.
6Leave folly, that youpl may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
7He that reproves evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself.
8Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind.
11For in this way you shall live long, and years of your life shall be added to you.
2 Corinthians 11.5-21
(Epistle)
5For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.
6But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.
7Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?
8I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.
9When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.
12But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in which they boast, they may be recognized just like us.
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.
14And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
15It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
16I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.
17That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.
19For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.
20For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.
21To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.
Hebrews 3.1-4
(Epistle, Church)
1Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus,
2who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also Moses was in all his house.
3For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house.
4For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God.
Mark 4.1-9
(Gospel)
1Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
2He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,
3“Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.
4As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
5Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.
6When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”
9He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Matthew 16.13-18
(Gospel, Church)
13Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.