Orthodox Daily Readings

Old Testament: Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8

Vespers, 1st reading

1 The memory of the righteous is with praise and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who has found wisdom and the mortal who has understanding. For it is better to purchase her than treasuries of gold and silver. She is more precious than precious stones and all that is precious is unworthy of her. For length of days and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are riches and glory. Out of her mouth proceeds righteousness and she bears law and mercy upon her tongue.

2 Hear me, O child, for I will speak noble things. Blessed is the man who keeps my ways, for my ways are the ways of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Therefore, I pray thee, and utter my voice to the sons of men: For I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and knowledge and I have called upon understanding. Counsel and safety are mine, understanding and strength are mine. I love those who love me and those seeking me shall find grace.

3 Understand craftiness, O you who are simple, and imbibe knowledge, you who are untaught. Hear me again, for I will speak noble things: I will open my mouth and from my lips shall come what is right. For my throat shall meditate truth; false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them that is twisted or perverse. They are all straight to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge.

4 I shall instruct you in truth, so that your hope will be in the Lord and you shall be filled with the Spirit.

Old Testament: Proverbs 10:31-11:12

Vespers, 2nd reading

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.

2 When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes.

8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.

9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.

11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

Old Testament: Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15

Vespers, 3rd reading

7 But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.

8 For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years;

9 but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age.

10 There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,

11 He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul.

12 For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.

13 Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;

14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness.

15 Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.

Epistle: Hebrews 13:17-21

Epistle, Saint

17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Epistle: Ephesians 6:10-17

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Gospel: Luke 24:12-35

5th Matins Gospel

12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Gospel: Luke 6:17-23

Gospel, Saint

17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,

18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Gospel: Luke 17:12-19

12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?

19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Commemorated on this day

27th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 2. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (ca. 345). St Maximus (1280).