Luke 1.39-49, 56
(Matins Gospel, Annunciation)
39Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
47My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
Isaiah 11.10-12.2
(6th Hour)
10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust, and his rest shall be glorious.
11And it shall be in that day, that the Lord shall again show his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and that from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia.
12And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and he shall gather the lost ones of Israel, and he shall gather the dispersed of Juda from the four corners of the earth.
13And the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away, and the enemies of Juda shall perish: Ephraim shall not envy Juda, and Juda shall not afflict Ephraim.
14And they shall fly in the ships of the Philistines: they shall at the same time spoil the sea, and them that come from the east, and Idumea: and they shall lay their hands on Moab first; but the children of Ammon shall first obey them.
15And the Lord shall make desolate the sea of Egypt; and he shall lay his hand on the river with a strong wind, and he shall strike the seven channels, so that men shall pass through it dry-shod.
16And there shall be a passage for my people that is left in Egypt: and it shall be to Israel as the day when he came forth out of the land of Egypt.
1And in that day you shall say, I will bless you, O Lord; for you were angry with me, but you have turned aside your wrath, and have pitied me.
2Behold, my God is my Saviour; I will trust in him, and not be afraid: for the Lord is my glory and my praise, and is become my salvation.
Genesis 7.11-8.3
(Vespers)
11In the six hundredth year of the life of Noe, in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on this day all the fountains of the abyss were broken up, and the flood-gates of heaven were opened.
12And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
13On that very day entered Noe, Sem, Cham, Japheth, the sons of Noe, and the wife of Noe, and the three wives of his sons with him into the ark.
14And all the wild beasts after their kind, and all cattle after their kind, and every reptile moving itself on the earth after its kind, and every flying bird after its kind,
15went in to Noe into the ark, pairs, male and female of all flesh in which is the breath of life.
16And they that entered went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded Noe, and the Lord God shut the ark outside of him.
17And the flood was upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and the water abounded greatly and bore up the ark, and it was lifted on high from off the earth.
18And the water prevailed and abounded exceedingly upon the earth, and the ark was borne upon the water.
19And the water prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and covered all the high mountains which were under heaven.
20Fifteen cubits upwards was the water raised, and it covered all the high mountains.
21And there died all flesh that moved upon the earth, of flying creatures and cattle, and of wild beasts, and every reptile moving upon the earth, and every man.
22And all things which have the breath of life, and whatever was on the dry land, died.
23And God blotted out every offspring which was upon the face of the earth, both man and beast, and reptiles, and birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth, and Noe was left alone, and those with him in the ark.
24And the water was raised over the earth one hundred and fifty days.
1And God remembered Noe, and all the wild beasts, and all the cattle, and all the birds, and all the reptiles that creep, as many as were with him in the ark, and God brought a wind upon the earth, and the water stayed.
2And the fountains of the deep were closed up, and the flood-gates of heaven, and the rain from heaven was withheld.
3And the water subsided, and went off the earth, and after one hundred and fifty days the water was diminished, and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.
Proverbs 10.1-22
(Vespers)
1A wise son makes his father glad: but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2Treasures shall not profit the lawless: but righteousness shall deliver from death.
3The Lord will not famish a righteous soul: but he will overthrow the life of the ungodly.
4Poverty brings a man low: but the hands of the vigorous make rich. A son who is instructed shall be wise, and shall use the fool for a servant.
5A wise son is saved from heat: but a lawless son is blighted of the winds in harvest.
6The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just: but untimely grief shall cover the mouth of the ungodly.
7The memory of the just is praised; but the name of the ungodly man is extinguished.
8A wise man in heart will receive commandments; but he that is unguarded in his lips shall be overthrown in his perverseness.
9He that walks simply, walks confidently; but he that perverts his ways shall be known.
10He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker.
11There is a fountain of life in the hand of a righteous man; but destruction shall cover the mouth of the ungodly.
12Hatred stirs up strife; but affection covers all that do not love strife.
13He that brings forth wisdom from his lips smites the fool with a rod.
14The wise will hide discretion; but the mouth of the hasty draws near to ruin.
15The wealth of rich men is a strong city; but poverty is the ruin of the ungodly.
16The works of the righteous produce life; but the fruits of the ungodly produce sins.
17Instruction keeps the right ways of life; but instruction unchastened goes astray.
18Righteous lips cover enmity; but they that utter railings are most foolish.
19By a multitude of words you shall not escape sin; but if you refrain your lips you will be prudent.
20The tongue of the just is tried silver; but the heart of the ungodly shall fail.
21The lips of the righteous know sublime truths: but the foolish die in lack.
22The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the righteous; it enriches him, and grief of heart shall not be added to it.
Exodus 3.1-8
(Vespers, Annunciation)
1And Moses was feeding the flock of Jothor his father-in-law, the priest of Madiam; and he brought the sheep near to the wilderness, and came to the mount of Choreb.
2And an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flaming fire out of the bush, and he sees that the bush burns with fire, —but the bush was not consumed.
3And Moses said, I will go near and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed.
4And when the Lord saw that he drew near to see, the Lord called him out of the bush, saying, Moses, Moses; and he said, What is it?
5And he said, Draw not near hither: loose your sandals from off your feet, for the place whereon you stand is holy ground.
6And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Moses turned away his face, for he was afraid to gaze at God.
7And the Lord said to Moses, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and I have heard their cry caused by their taskmasters; for I know their affliction.
8And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land, and to bring them into a good and wide land, into a land flowing with milk and honey, into the place of the Chananites, and the Chettites, and Amorites, and Pherezites, and Gergesites, and Evites, and Jebusites.
Proverbs 8.22-30
(Vespers, Annunciation)
22The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23He established me before time was in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26The Lord made countries and uninhabited tracks, and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30I was by him, suiting myself to him, I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
Hebrews 2.11-18
(Epistle, Annunciation)
11For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
12saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”
14Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham.
17Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
18For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
Luke 1.24-38
(Gospel, Annunciation)
24After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
26Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.