Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture

O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Epistle Reading: 2 Timothy 4:9-22

Be diligent to come to me quickly;

for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica; Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come; and the books, especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 20:1-8

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him

and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

But He answered and said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me:

“The baptism of John; was it from heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

“But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Saints and Feasts

The Holy Prophet Sophonias (Zephaniah); Our Righteous Father John, Bishop and Hesychast; Holy Martyrs Agapius and Seleucius; Theodore, Archbishop of Alexandria; Angelis the New Martyr; Karpos the Hieromartyr