Daily Scripture

6th Hour

Isaiah 4.2-5.7

4:2In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

4:3And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:

4:4When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

4:5And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

4:6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

5:1Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

5:2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

5:3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

5:4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5:5And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

5:6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

5:7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

Vespers

Genesis 3.21-4.7

Read in context

3:21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

3:22And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

3:23Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

3:24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

4:1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

4:2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

4:3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4:4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

4:5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

4:6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

4:7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Vespers

Proverbs 3.34-4.22

Read in context

3:34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

3:35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

4:1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

4:2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

4:3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4:4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

4:5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

4:6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

4:7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

4:8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

4:9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

4:10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

4:11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

4:12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

4:13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

4:14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

4:15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

4:16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

4:17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

4:18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

4:20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

4:21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

4:22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Vespers — St Raphael

Proverbs 10.7-7; Proverbs 10.6-6; Proverbs 3.13-16; Proverbs 8.32-32; Proverbs 8.34-35; Proverbs 8.4-4; Proverbs 8.12-12; Proverbs 8.14-14; Proverbs 8.17-17; Proverbs 8.5-9

Read in context

Verse selection is approximate — the original composite is a stitched paraphrase.

7The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

6Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

34Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

4Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

12I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

Vespers — St Raphael

Proverbs 10.31-11.12

Read in context

10:31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

10:32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

11:1A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

11:2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

11:3The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

11:4Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

11:5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

11:6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

11:7When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

11:8The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

11:9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

11:10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

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

11:12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

Vespers — St Raphael

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 Raphael

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 Raphael

Hebrews 13.17-21

Read in context

17Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

19But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel — St Raphael

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.

Monday, March 11, 2052