Luke 12.2-12
(Matins Gospel, St George)
2But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
3Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
6“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God.
7But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
8“I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God;
9but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of God’s angels.
10Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;
12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Isaiah 45.11-17
(6th Hour)
11For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who has formed the things that are to come, Enquire of me concerning my sons, and concerning the works of my hands command me.
12I have made the earth, and man upon it: I with my hand have established the heaven; I have given commandment to all the stars.
13I have raised him up to be a king with righteousness, and all his ways are right: he shall build my city, and shall turn the captivity of my people, not for ransoms, nor for rewards, says the Lord of hosts.
14Thus says the Lord of hosts, Egypt has laboured for you; and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you, and shall be your servants; and they shall follow after you bound in fetters, and shall pass over to you, and shall do obeisance to you, and make supplication to you: because God is in you; and there is no God beside you, O Lord.
15For you are God, yet we knew it not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
16All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: youpl isles, keep a feast to me.
17Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
Genesis 22.1-18
(Vespers)
1And it came to pass after these things that God tempted Abraam, and said to him, Abraam, Abraam; and he said, Behold! I am here.
2And he said, Take your son, the beloved one, whom you have loved—Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there for a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.
3And Abraam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and he took with him two servants, and Isaac his son, and having split wood for a whole burnt offering, he arose and departed, and came to the place of which God spoke to him,
4on the third day; and Abraam having lifted up his eyes, saw the place afar off.
5And Abraam said to his servants, Sit youpl here with the ass, and I and the lad will proceed thus far, and having worshipped we will return to you.
6And Abraam took the wood of the whole burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took into his hands both the fire and the knife, and the two went together.
7And Isaac said to Abraam his father, Father. And he said, What is it, son? And he said, Behold the fire and the wood, where is the sheep for a whole burnt offering?
8And Abraam said, God will provide himself a sheep for a whole burnt offering, my son. And both having gone together,
9came to the place which God spoke of to him; and there Abraam built the altar, and laid the wood on it, and having bound the feet of Isaac his son together, he laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10And Abraam stretched forth his hand to take the knife to kill his son.
11And an angel of the Lord called him out of heaven, and said, Abraam, Abraam. And he said, Behold, I am here.
12And he said, Lay not your hand upon the child, neither do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, and for my sake you have not spared your beloved son.
13And Abraam lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold! a ram caught by his horns in a plant of Sabec; and Abraam went and took the ram, and offered him up for a whole burnt offering in the place of Isaac his son.
14And Abraam called the name of that place, The Lord has seen; that they might say today, In the mount the Lord was seen.
15And an angel of the Lord called Abraam the second time out of heaven, saying, I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and on my account have not spared your beloved son,
16surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is by the shore of the sea, and your seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies.
17And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have listened to my voice.
18And Abraam returned to his servants, and they arose and went together to the well of the oath; and Abraam lived at the well of the oath.
Proverbs 17.17-18.5
(Vespers)
17Have you a friend for every time, and let brethren be useful in distress; for on this account are they born.
18A foolish man applauds and rejoices over himself, as he also that becomes surety would make himself responsible for his own friends.
19A lover of sin rejoices in strifes;
20and the hard-hearted man comes not in for good. A man of a changeful tongue will fall into mischiefs;
21and the heart of a fool is grief to its possessor. A father rejoices not over an uninstructed son; but a wise son gladdens his mother.
22A glad heart promotes health; but the bones of a sorrowful man dry up.
23The ways of a man who unjustly receives gifts in his bosom do not prosper; and an ungodly man perverts the ways of righteousness.
24The countenance of a wise man is sensible; but the eyes of a fool go to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a cause of anger to his father, and grief to her that bore him.
26It is not right to punish a righteous man, nor is it holy to plot against righteous princes.
27He that forbears to utter a hard word is discreet, and a patient man is wise.
28Wisdom shall be imputed to a fool who asks after wisdom: and he who holds his peace shall seem to be sensible.
1A man who wishes to separate from friends seeks excuses; but at all times he will be liable to reproach.
2A senseless man feels no need of wisdom, for he is rather led by folly.
3When an ungodly man comes into a depth of evils, he despises them; but dishonor and reproach come upon him.
4A word in the heart of a man is a deep water, and a river and fountain of life spring forth.
5It is not good to accept the person of the ungodly, nor is it holy to pervert justice in judgment.
Acts 12.1-11
(Epistle, St George)
1Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.
2He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.
3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.
4When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.
6The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.
7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.
8The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
9And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.
10When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”
John 15.17-16.2
(Gospel, St George)
17“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.
18If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
21But they will do all these things to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.
22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23He who hates me, hates my Father also.
24If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father.
25But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26“When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.
27You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
1“I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
2They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.