Acts 23.1-11 (Epistle)

1Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

2The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

4Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”

5Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

7When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. 9A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”

10When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks.

11The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”

John 16.15-23 (Gospel)

15All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you.

16“A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”

17Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?” 18They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”

19Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? 20Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world. 22Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

23“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Apostle Hermes of the Seventy

He is mentioned in the Epistles of St Paul (Romans 16:14). He served as a bishop in the first-century Church, and died a martyr. His book, The Shepherd, is one of the earliest Christian writings outside of the New Testament, and was held in such esteem by the early Church that it is sometimes found in ancient collections of the Holy Scriptures.

Hermas had been a wealthy man, but had fallen into poverty through his sins. A man, clad all in white and holding a staff, appeared to St Hermas and, telling him that he was an angel of repentance, gave St Hermas twelve commandments:

• To believe in God
• To live in simplicity and innocence
• To love truth and flee from falsehood
• To guard his thoughts in chastity
• To learn patience and magnanimity of soul
• To know that a good and an evil spirit attend every man
• To fear God, but not the devil
• To perform every good deed and to restrain himself from every evil one
• To pray to God in faith from the depths of his heart, so that his prayer might be heard
• To preserve himself from melancholy, the daughter of doubt, and from anger
• To try true and false prophecies
• To preserve himself from every evil desire.