Daily Reading

Thursday

LITURGY

Acts 4:23-31

     23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

John 5:24-30

     24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

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HOLY APOSTLE NATHANIEL
ST THEODORE OF SYKEON, BISHOP OF ANASTASIOPOLIS

Troparion of the Holy Apostle Nathaniel    Tone 4

With hymns let us the faithful honour Christ's Apostle Nathaniel,/ whose guileless heart sought out Christ the Light./ He was led to Christ by Philip his friend,/ and straightway rejoiced to recognize his God and Saviour./ Wherefore he is praised in company with the Twelve.

Troparion of St Theodore    Tone 4

Sanctified from thy swaddling bands,/ thou wast full of the grace of God./ O Theodore, minister of the Sacred Mysteries,/ thou didst enlighten the world by thy miracles and dispel the demon hordes./ Pray for us to Christ our God.

Kontakion of St Theodore    Tone 3

By thy virtues, O Godbearer, thou didst ascend to the dwelling-places of heaven/ as though by a fiery chariot./ Thou didst live like an angel among men,/ and though a man thou dost now dance with the Angels./ Therefore, O Theodore, thou wast revealed as a vessel of miracles.