Tuesday January 20, 2026 / January 7, 2026
33rd Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John.
Martyr Paphnutius (1938).
New Hieromartyr Basil, priest (1939).
Martyr John (1940).
Martyr John (1942).
New Martyr Athanasius of Attalia and Smyrna (1700) (Greek).
St. Cedd, bishop of Lastingham (664) (Celtic & British).
St. Brannock (Brynach) of Braunton (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Kentigerna, hermitess of Loch Lomond.
The Scripture Readings
1
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
2
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3
Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
4
Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
5
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11
And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12
Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.
13
And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14
In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.
15
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
16
And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.
17
Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
18
And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.
19
When evening had come, He went out of the city.
20
Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21
And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
22
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
23
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Acts 19:1-8 Forerunner
1
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
2
he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
3
And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6
And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
7
Now the men were about twelve in all.
8
And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
John 1:29-34 Forerunner
29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30
This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
31
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.
32
And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33
I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34
And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.