Thursday July 30, 2026 / July 17, 2026
9th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Great-martyr Marina (Margaret) of Antioch in Pisidia (4th c.).
Venerable Irenarchus, abbot of Solovki (1628).
Venerable Leonid, abbot of Ust-Neduma (Vologda) (1654).
Translation of the relics of Venerable Lazarus, monk, of Mt. Galesion near Ephesus (1054).
“Svyatogorsk” (1569) Icon of the Mother of God.
Child Martyr Prince Kenelm of Wales (821) (Celtic & British).
Martyrs Speratus and Veronica (Greek).
St. Euphrasius of Ionopolis, bishop (Greek).
St. Timothy, fool-for-Christ of Svyatogorsk near Pskov (1563).
The Scripture Readings
6
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?
7
Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?
8
For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
9
So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
10
There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.
11
Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.
12
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
13
Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
14
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
16
Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
17
For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19
yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Matthew 20:17-28
17
Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,
18
Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,
19
and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.
20
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21
And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22
But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”
23
So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
24
And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.
25
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
26
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
27
And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-
28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
2 Corinthians 6:1-10 Great-martyr
1
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2
For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3
We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
5
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6
by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7
by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8
by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9
as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Luke 7:36-50 Great-martyr
36
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.
37
And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38
and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39
Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
40
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
41
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42
And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?
43
Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45
You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46
You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47
Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
48
Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49
And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50
Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”