Daily Scripture

6th Hour

Isaiah 28.14-22

14Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

16Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

19From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

21For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Vespers

Genesis 10.32-11.9

Read in context

10:32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

11:1And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

11:2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

11:3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

11:4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

11:5And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

11:6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

11:7Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

11:8So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

11:9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Vespers

Proverbs 13.19-14.6

Read in context

13:19The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

13:20He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

13:21Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

13:22A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

13:23Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.

13:24He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

13:25The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

14:1Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

14:2He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

14:3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

14:4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

14:5A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

14:6A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

Epistle — Theotokos

Hebrews 2.11-18

Read in context

11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gospel — Theotokos

Luke 1.24-38

Read in context

24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Thursday, April 8, 1948