Isaiah 37.33-38.6 (6th Hour)

33Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of the Assyrians, He shall not enter into this city, nor cast a weapon against it, nor bring a shield against it, nor make a rampart round it. 34But by the way by which he came, by it shall he return, and shall not enter into this city: thus says the Lord. 35I will protect this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 36And the angel of the Lord went forth, and killed out of the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand: and they arose in the morning and found all these bodies dead. 37And Sennacherim king of the Assyrians turned and departed, and lived in Nineve. 38And while he was worshipping Nasarach his country's god in the house, Adramelech and Sarasar his sons struck him with swords; and they escaped into Armenia: and Asordan his son reigned in his stead.

1And it came to pass at that time, that Ezekias was sick even to death. And Esaias the prophet the son of Amos came to him, and said to him, Thus says the Lord, Give orders concerning your house: for you shall die, and not live. 2And Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you in truth, with a true heart, and have done that which was pleasing in your sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly. 4And the word of the Lord came to Esaias, saying, Go, and say to Ezekias, 5Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, and seen your tears: behold, I will add to your time fifteen years. 6And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians: and I will defend this city.

Genesis 13.12-18 (Vespers)

12And Lot lived in a city of the neighbouring people, and pitched his tent in Sodom. 13But the men of Sodom were evil, and exceedingly sinful before God. 14And God said to Abram after Lot was separated from him, Look up with your eyes, and behold from the place where you now are northward and southward, and eastward and seaward; 15for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed for ever. 16And I will make your seed like the dust of the earth; if any one is able to number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed be numbered. 17Arise and traverse the land, both in the length of it and in the breadth; for to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever. 18And Abram having removed his tent, came and lived by the oak of Mambre, which was in Chebrom, and he there built an altar to the Lord.

Proverbs 14.27-15.4 (Vespers)

27The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes men to turn aside from the snare of death. 28In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince. 29A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish. 30A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones. 31He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honors him has pity upon the poor. 32The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just. 33There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned. 34Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes. 35An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behavior he removes disgrace.

1Anger slays even wise men; yet a submissive answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger. 2The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things. 3The eyes of the Lord behold both the evil and the good in every place. 4The wholesome tongue is a tree of life, and he that keeps it shall be filled with understanding.

Hieromartyr Mark, Bishop of Arethusa

“Saint Mark was Bishop of Arethusa in Syria. In the days of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Mark, moved with divine zeal, destroyed a temple of the idols and raised up a church in its stead. When Julian the Apostate reigned, in 361, as the pagans were now able to avenge the destruction of their temple, Saint Mark, giving way to wrath, hid himself; but when he saw that others were being taken on his account, he gave himself up. Having no regard to his old age, they stripped him and beat his whole body, cast him into filthy sewers, and pulling him out, had children prick him with their iron writing-pens. Then they put him into a basket, smeared him with honey and a kind of relish of pickled fish, and hung him up under the burning sun to be devoured by bees and wasps. But because he bore this so nobly, his enemies repented, and unloosed him.

“Saint Cyril was a deacon from Heliopolis in Phoenecia. During the reign of the Emperor Constantius, son of Saint Constantine, he had also broken the idols in pieces. When Julian came to power, Saint Cyril was seized by the idolators and his belly was ripped open. The other holy Martyrs celebrated today, martyred in Gaza and Ascalon during the reign of Julian, were men of priestly rank and consecrated virgins; they were disemboweled, filled with barley, and set before swine to be eaten. The account of all the above Saints is given in Book III, ch. 3, of Theodoret of Cyrrhus’ Ecclesiastical History. (Great Horologion)

Our Holy Father John the Hermit (4th c.)

“He was the son of Juliana, a Christian woman of Armenia. While still a child, he left his mother and ran off to the desert. He was utterly aflame with love for Christ the Lord. In the beginning he entrusted himself to the guidance of a spiritual father, Pharmutius, who was so pleasing to God that an angel brought him bread every day. John later left him and withdrew into solitude. He let himself down into a dry well and lived there for a full ten years in fasting, prayer and vigils. St Pharmutius used to bring him some of the angel’s bread, for the angel of God did not wish to bring bread to the young John in person, lest he grow proud through this, so sent it through Pharmutius his spiritual father. After ten years of arduous asceticism in his well, St John went to the Lord and his relics revealed wonderworking power. He lived and was glorified by God and men in the 4th century.” (Prologue)