Daily Scripture

6th Hour

Isaiah 42.5-16

5Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

8I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

9Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

13The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

15I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Vespers

Genesis 18.20-33

Read in context

20And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

30And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

32And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

33And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Vespers

Proverbs 16.17-17.17

Read in context

16:17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

16:18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

16:19Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

16:20He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

16:21The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

16:22Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

16:23The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

16:24Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

16:25There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

16:26He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

16:27An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

16:28A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

16:29A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

16:30He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

16:31The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

16:32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

16:33The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

17:1Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

17:2A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

17:3The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

17:4A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

17:5Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

17:6Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

17:7Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

17:8A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

17:9He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

17:10A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

17:11An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

17:12Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

17:13Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

17:14The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

17:15He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

17:16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

17:17A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Vespers — St Tikhon

Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9

Read in context

1But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.

2In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,

3And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.

4For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

5And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.

6As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

7And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.

8They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.

9They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

Vespers — St Tikhon

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3

Read in context

5:15But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High.

5:16Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them.

5:17He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies.

5:18He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet.

5:19He shall take holiness for an invincible shield.

5:20His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise.

5:21Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark.

5:22And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them.

5:23Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

6:1Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

6:2Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

6:3For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

Vespers — St Tikhon

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15

Read in context

7But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

8For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years.

9But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.

10He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated.

11Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.

12For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind.

13He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time:

14For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked.

15This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.

Matins Gospel — St Tikhon

John 10.1-9

Read in context

1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Epistle — St Tikhon

Hebrews 7.26-8.2

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7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

7:27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

7:28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

8:1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

8:2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Gospel — St Tikhon

John 10.9-16

Read in context

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Thursday, April 20, 2051