2 Corinthians 3.4-11
(Epistle)
4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,
5not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,
6who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,
8won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
9For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
11For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
2 Timothy 2.1-10
(Epistle, St Panteleimon)
1You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
4No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
5Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he isn’t crowned unless he has competed by the rules.
6The farmer who labors must be the first to get a share of the crops.
7Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the offspring of David, according to my Good News,
9in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained.
10Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Matthew 23.29-39
(Gospel)
29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’
31Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
32Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
34Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
36Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
38Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
39For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
John 15.17-16.2
(Gospel, St Panteleimon)
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.