Monday August 18, 2025 / August 5, 2025

11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Dormition (Theotokos) Fast. Wine and Oil Allowed

Forefeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord.
Martyr Eusignius of Antioch (362).
New Hieromartyr Stephen priest (1918).
New Martyrs Eudocia and Novices Daria, Daria, and Maria (1919).
New Hieromartyr Simon bishop of Ufa (1921).
New Hieromartyr John deacon (1938).
Venerable Job the Gorge-dweller on the Mezen River (Solovki) (1628).
Hieromartyrs Fabian (250) and Antherus (Antheros) (257), popes of Rome.
Martyr Pontius at Cimella in France (257).
Martyrs Cantidius, Cantidian and Sibelius (Sobel), of Egypt.
Righteous Nonna (374), mother of St. Gregory the Theologian.
St. Oswald, king and martyr (642) (Celtic & British).
Venerable John (Jacob) of Neamp, the Chozebite (1960) (Romania).
New Martyr Chrestos of Preveza (1668).
Uncovering of the relics (1967) of St. Arsenius the New of Paros (1877).

The Scripture Readings

2 Corinthians 2:3-15

3

And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

4

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

5

But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent-not to be too severe.

6

This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man,

7

so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.

8

Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

9

For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

10

Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

11

lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12

Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,

13

I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

15

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Matthew 23:13-22

13

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

15

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16

Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’

17

Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18

And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’

19

Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20

Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

21

He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

22

And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

Tuesday Reading
2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3

14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

15

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

16

To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

1

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?

2

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

3

clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Matthew 23:23-28

23

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

24

Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

26

Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

28

Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

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