Isaiah 14.24-32 (6th Hour)

24Thus says the Lord of hosts, As I have said, so it shall be: and as I have purposed, so the matter shall remain: 25even to destroy the Assyrians upon my land, and upon my mountains: and they shall be for trampling; and their yoke shall be taken away from them, and their glory shall be taken away from their shoulders. 26This is the purpose which the Lord has purposed upon the whole earth: and this the hand that is uplifted against all the nations. 27For what the Holy God has purposed, who shall frustrate? and who shall turn back his uplifted hand? 28In the year in which king Achaz died this word came. 29Rejoice not, all you⌃ Philistines, because the yoke of him that struck you is broken: for out of the seed of the serpent shall come forth the young asps, and their young shall come forth flying serpents, 30And the poor shall be fed by him, and poor men shall rest in peace: but he shall destroy your seed with hunger, and shall destroy your remnant. 31Howl, you⌃ gates of cities; let the cities be troubled and cry, even all the Philistines: for smoke is coming from the north, and there is no possibility of living. 32And what shall the kings of the nations answer? That the Lord has founded Sion, and by him the poor of the people shall be saved.

Genesis 8.21-9.7 (Vespers)

21And the Lord God smelled a smell of sweetness, and the Lord God having considered, said, I will not any more curse the earth, because of the works of men, because the imagination of man is intently bent upon evil things from his youth, I will not therefore any more strike all living flesh as I have done. 22All the days of the earth, seed and harvest, cold and heat, summer and spring, shall not cease by day or night.

1And God blessed Noe and his sons, and said to them, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and have dominion over it. 2And the dread and the fear of you shall be upon all the wild beasts of the earth, on all the birds of the sky, and on all things moving upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, I have placed them under your power. 3And every reptile which is living shall be to you for meat, I have given all things to you as the green herbs. 4But flesh with blood of life you⌃ shall not eat. 5For your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of all wild beasts, and I will require the life of man at the hand of his brother man. 6He that sheds man's blood, instead of that blood shall his own be shed, for in the image of God I made man. 7But do you⌃ increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have dominion over it.

Proverbs 11.19-12.6 (Vespers)

19A righteous son is born for life: but the persecution of the ungodly ends in death. 20Perverse ways are an abomination to the Lord: but all they that are blameless in their ways are acceptable to him. 21He that unjustly strikes hands shall not be unpunished: but he that sows righteousness he shall receive a faithful reward. 22As an ornament in a swine's snout, so is beauty to an ill-minded woman. 23All the desire of the righteous is good: but the hope of the ungodly shall perish. 24There are some who scatter their own, and make it more: and there are some also who gather, yet have less. 25Every sincere soul is blessed: but a passionate man is not graceful. 26May he that hoards corn leave it to the nation: but blessing be on the head of him that gives it. 27He that devises good counsels seeks good favor: but as for him that seeks after evil, evil shall overtake him. 28He that trusts in wealth shall fall; but he that helps righteous men shall rise. 29He that deals not graciously with his own house shall inherit the wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise man. 30Out of the fruit of righteousness grows a tree of life; but the souls of transgressors are cut off before their time. 31If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1He that loves instruction loves sense, but he that hates reproofs is a fool. 2He that has found favor with the Lord is made better; but a transgressor shall be passed over in silence. 3A man shall not prosper by wickedness; but the roots of the righteous shall not be taken up. 4A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but as a worm in wood, so a bad woman destroys her husband. 5The thoughts of the righteous are true judgments; but ungodly men devise deceits. 6The words of ungodly men are crafty; but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

Martyr Nikon and 199 Disciples

He was born in Neapolis (Naples) to a pagan father and a Christian mother, and became an officer in the Roman army. Though he was not baptised, his mother had secretly instructed him in the Christian faith. Once, in a battle, his company was completely surrounded by the enemy, and Nikon recalled his mother’s counseling that, whenever he was in trouble, he should make the sign of the Cross and call upon Christ. This he did, and was immediately filled with strength and resolution, so that the enemy’s army was routed. Nikon went home, openly crying out ‘Great is the God of the Christians!’ to the great joy of his mother.

He traveled secretly to Cyzicus in Asia, where the bishop Theodosius baptised him. He then entered a monastery to spend his days in prayer and study. But some years later Theodosius, who was near death, had a vision in which he was told to consecrate Nikon as his successor. He summoned Nikon from the monastery and, to the monk’s amazement, immediately ordained him a deacon, then a priest, then a bishop.

Later, bishop Nikon returned to Italy to preach the Gospel of Christ. In Naples, he found his mother still alive, and remained with her until her death. He then set out with nine disciples, former fellow-soldiers, to proclaim the Faith. Through the Saint’s grace-filled preaching and example, many more disciples were soon added to this number. At that time a great persecution of Christians was underway, and Quintinianus, ruler of that region, seized Nikon and his companions and handed them over to the torturers. One hundred ninety of Nikon’s companions perished under torture. Nikon himself was beaten, flayed, and even thrown from a high cliff, but was miraculously preserved. Finally he was slain by the sword and his body thrown in a field to be eaten by the beasts. A shepherd boy, possessed by a spirit of madness, found the body, fell on it, and was instantly healed. He told his story to some Christians, who found the body and gave it honorable burial. Saint Nikon contested during the reign of the Emperor Decius.