Composite 10 - Genesis 17.15-17, 19; 18.11-14; 21.1-8 (Vespers)

1The Lord God said to Abraham: As for Sara your wife, her name shall not be called Sara, but Sarra shall be her name. I will bless her and will give you a child from her; and I will bless it and it shall be for nations and kings of nations will come from it. And Abraham fell on his face, and laughed and said in his mind; Shall a son be born in my hundredth year? And shall Sarra who is ninety bear a child? God said to Abraham: Yes; see, your wife Sarra will bear you a son and you will call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant. Now Abraham and Sarra were old, advanced in years. But Sarra laughed to herself, saying: The thing has not happened to me until now; and my lord is old. And the Lord God said to Abraham: Why did Sarra laugh to herself, saying: Shall I really give birth? For I am aged. But nothing is impossible for God. And the Lord visited Sarra, as He had said, and she conceived and bore a son to Abraham in their old age at the time the Lord had said to him. But he circumcised him on the eighth day, as the Lord God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred when Isaac his son was born to him. But Sarra said: The Lord has given me laughter; for whoever hears will rejoice with me. And she said: Who will announce to Abraham that Sarra is suckling a child, for I have born a child in my old age? And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham held a great banquet on the day his son Isaac was weaned.

Composite 11 - Judges 13.2-8, 13-14, 17-18, 21 (Vespers)

1In those days there was a man of the tribe of Dan and his name was Manoe, and his wife was barren and had not borne a child. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to his wife and said to her: See, you are barren and have not borne a child or conceived a son. But now take care, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. Because see, you will conceive in the womb and bear a son, and no iron shall touch his head, because the child is to be a Nazarite to God from his mother’s womb. And the woman came and spoke to her husband, saying: A Man of God came to me, and his appearance was as the appearance on an Angel of God, exceedingly bright. And he said: See, you will conceive in the womb and bear a son; and now take care, and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazarite of God from the womb to the day of his death. And Manoe besought the Lord and said: My Lord, let the man of God, whom You sent, come again to us, and enlighten us what we should do for the child that is to be born. Then the Angel came to Manoe and said: Of all the things that I said to your wife, let her take care. She is not to eat anything that comes from the vine; she is not to drink wine or strong drink. And Manoe said to the Angel of the Lord: What is your name? That when your word comes to pass, we may glorify you. And the Angel of the Lord said to him: Why do you ask my name? For it is wonderful. And the Angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoe and his wife.

Composite 8 - Isaiah 40, 41, 45, 48, 54 (Vespers)

1Thus says the Lord: Comfort, comfort my people, says God. Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem. Comfort her, because her humiliation has been completed; for her has sin has been abolished, because she has received from the Lord’s hand double for her sins. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill made low; what is crooked will become straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Go up onto a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem. Lift it up, do not be afraid. I the Lord God, I, the God of Israel, will hearken and will not forsake them; but I will open rivers from the mountains and springs in the middle of plains. I will turn the wilderness into water meadows and the thirsty earth with water courses. Let the heavens rejoice from on high and let the clouds rain justice. Let the earth sprout and blossom with mercy and justice. Announce a voice of gladness to the end of the earth and let this be heard: Say that the Lord has delivered his servant Jacob. And if they thirst through deserts, he will bring water for them from a rock. Rejoice you barren who have never given birth, break out and shout, you who have never known birth pangs, for the children of the deserted are more than those of her who has a husband.

Luke 1.24-25, 57-68, 76, 80 (Matins Gospel)

24A poslije ovijeh dana zatrudnje Jelisaveta žena njegova, i krijaše se pet mjeseci govoreæi: 25Tako mi uèini Gospod u dane ove u koje pogleda na me da me izbavi od ukora meðu ljudima. 57A Jelisaveti doðe vrijeme da rodi, i rodi sina. 58I èuše njezini susjedi i rodbina da je Gospod pokazao veliku milost svoju na njoj, i radovahu se s njom. 59I u osmi dan doðoše da obrežu dijete, i šæadijahu da mu nadjenu ime oca njegova, Zarija. 60I odgovarajuæi mati njegova reèe: ne, nego da bude Jovan. 61I rekoše joj: nikoga nema u rodbini tvojoj da mu je tako ime. 62I namigivahu ocu njegovu kako bi on htio da mu nadjenu ime. 63I zaiskavši dašèicu, napisa govoreæi: Jovan mu je ime. I zaèudiše se svi. 64I odmah mu se otvoriše usta i jezik njegov, i govoraše hvaleæi Boga. 65I uðe strah u sve susjede njihove; i po svoj gornjoj Judeji razglasi se ovaj sav dogaðaj. 66I svi koji èuše metnuše u srce svoje govoreæi: šta æe biti iz ovoga djeteta? I ruka Gospodnja bješe s njim. 67I Zarija otac njegov napuni se Duha svetoga, i prorokova govoreæi: 68Blagosloven Gospod Bog Jakovljev što pohodi i izbavi narod svoj, 76I ti, dijete, nazvaæeš se prorok najvišega; jer æeš iæi naprijed pred licem Gospodnjijem da mu pripraviš put; 80A dijete rastijaše i jaèaše duhom, i bijaše u pustinji dotle dok se ne pokaza Izrailju.

Romans 7.14-8.2 (Epistle)

14Jer znamo da je zakon duhovan; a ja sam tjelesan, prodan pod grijeh: 15Jer ne znam šta èinim, jer ne èinim ono šta hoæu, nego na što mrzim ono èinim. 16Ako li ono èinim šta neæu, hvalim zakon da je dobar. 17A ovo više ja ne èinim nego grijeh koji živi u meni. 18Jer znam da dobro ne živi u meni, to jest u tijelu mojemu. Jer htjeti imam u sebi, ali uèiniti dobro ne nalazim. 19Jer dobro šta hoæu ne èinim, nego zlo što neæu ono èinim. 20A kad èinim ono što neæu, veæ ja to ne èinim nego grijeh koji živi u meni. 21Nalazim dakle zakon, kad hoæu dobro da èinim, da me na zlo nagoni. 22Jer imam radost u zakonu Božijemu po unutrašnjemu èovjeku; 23Ali vidim drugi zakon u udima svojima, koji se suproti zakonu uma mojega, i zarobljava me zakonom grjehovnijem koji je u udima mojima. 24Ja nesreæni èovjek! Ko æe me izbaviti od tijela smrti ove? 25Zahvaljujem Bogu svojemu kroz Isusa Hrista Gospoda našega. Tako dakle ja sam umom svojijem služim zakonu Božijemu a tijelom zakonu grjehovnome.

1Nikakva dakle sad nema osuðenja onima koji su u Hristu Isusu i ne hode po tijelu nego po Duhu. 2Jer zakon duha koji oživljava u Hristu Isusu, oprostio me je od zakona grjehovnoga i smrti.

Romans 13.11-14.4 (Epistle, Forerunner)

11I znajuæi ovo vrijeme da je veæ èas došao da ustanemo od sna; jer nam je sad bliže spasenije negoli kad vjerovasmo. 12Noæ proðe a dan se približi: da odbacimo dakle sva djela tamna, i da se obuèemo u oružje vidjela. 13Da hodimo pošteno kao po danu: ne u žderanju i pijanstvu, ne u kurvarstvu i neèistoti, ne u svaðanju i zavisti; 14Nego se obucite u Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista; i tijelu ne ugaðajte po željama.

1A slaboga u vjeri primajte lijepo, da se ne smeta savjest. 2Jer jedan vjeruje da smije svašta jesti, a koji je slab jede zelje. 3Koji jede neka ne ukorava onoga koji ne jede; i koji ne jede neka ne osuðuje onoga koji jede; jer ga Bog primi. 4Ko si ti koji sudiš tuðemu sluzi? On svojemu gospodaru stoji ili pada. Ali æe ustati; jer je Bog kadar podignuti ga.

Matthew 10.9-15 (Gospel)

9Ne nosite zlata ni srebra ni mjedi u pojasima svojijem, 10Ni torbe na put, ni dvije haljine ni obuæe ni štapa; jer je poslenik dostojan svoga jela. 11A kad u koji grad ili selo uðete, ispitajte ko je u njemu dostojan, i ondje ostanite dok ne iziðete. 12A ulazeæi u kuæu nazovite joj: mir kuæi ovoj. 13I ako bude kuæa dostojna, doæi æe mir vaš na nju; a ako li ne bude dostojna, mir æe se vaš k vama vratiti. 14A ako vas ko ne primi niti posluša rijeèi vašijeh, izlazeæi iz kuæe ili iz grada onoga otresite prah s nogu svojijeh. 15Zaisto vam kažem: lakše æe biti zemlji Sodomskoj i Gomorskoj u dan strašnoga suda negoli gradu onome.

Luke 1.1-25, 57-68, 76, 80 (Gospel, Forerunner)

1Buduæi da mnogi poèeše opisivati dogaðaje koji se ispuniše meðu nama, 2Kao što nam predaše koji isprva sami vidješe i sluge rijeèi biše: 3Namislih i ja, ispitavši sve od poèetka, po redu pisati tebi, èestiti Teofile, 4Da poznaš temelj onijeh rijeèi kojima si se nauèio. 5U vrijeme Iroda cara Judejskoga bijaše neki sveštenik od reda Avijna, po imenu Zarija, i žena njegova od plemena Aronova, po imenu Jelisaveta. 6A bijahu oboje pravedni pred Bogom, i življahu u svemu po zapovijestima i uredbama Gospodnjijem bez mane. 7I ne imadijahu djece; jer Jelisaveta bješe nerotkinja, i bijahu oboje veæ stari. 8I dogodi se, kad on služaše po svome redu pred Bogom, 9Da po obièaju sveštenstva doðe na njega da iziðe u crkvu Gospodnju da kadi. 10I sve mnoštvo naroda bijaše napolju i moljaše se Bogu u vrijeme kaðenja. 11A njemu se pokaza anðeo Gospodnji koji stajaše s desne strane oltara kadionoga. 12I kad ga vidje Zarija uplaši se i strah napade na nj. 13A anðeo reèe mu: ne boj se, Zarija; jer je uslišena tvoja molitva: i žena tvoja Jelisaveta rodiæe ti sina, i nadjeni mu ime Jovan. 14I biæe tebi radost i veselje, i mnogi æe se obradovati njegovu roðenju. 15Jer æe biti veliki pred Bogom, i neæe piti vina i sikera; i napuniæe se Duha svetoga još u utrobi matere svoje; 16I mnoge æe sinove Izrailjeve obratiti ka Gospodu Bogu njihovome; 17I on æe naprijed doæi pred njim u duhu i sili Ilijnoj da obrati srca otaca k djeci, i nevjernike k mudrosti pravednika, i da pripravi Gospodu narod gotov. 18I reèe Zarija anðelu: po èemu æu ja to poznati? jer sam ja star i žena je moja vremenita. 19I odgovarajuæi anðeo reèe mu: ja sam Gavrilo što stojim pred Bogom, i poslan sam da govorim s tobom i da ti javim ovu radost. 20I evo, onijemiæeš i neæeš moæi govoriti do onoga dana dok se to ne zbude; jer nijesi vjerovao mojim rijeèima koje æe se zbiti u svoje vrijeme. 21I narod èekaše Zariju, i èuðahu se što se zabavi u crkvi. 22A izišavši ne mogaše da im govori; i razumješe da mu se nešto utvorilo u crkvi; i on namigivaše im; i osta nijem. 23I kad se navršiše dani njegove službe otide kuæi svojoj. 24A poslije ovijeh dana zatrudnje Jelisaveta žena njegova, i krijaše se pet mjeseci govoreæi: 25Tako mi uèini Gospod u dane ove u koje pogleda na me da me izbavi od ukora meðu ljudima. 57A Jelisaveti doðe vrijeme da rodi, i rodi sina. 58I èuše njezini susjedi i rodbina da je Gospod pokazao veliku milost svoju na njoj, i radovahu se s njom. 59I u osmi dan doðoše da obrežu dijete, i šæadijahu da mu nadjenu ime oca njegova, Zarija. 60I odgovarajuæi mati njegova reèe: ne, nego da bude Jovan. 61I rekoše joj: nikoga nema u rodbini tvojoj da mu je tako ime. 62I namigivahu ocu njegovu kako bi on htio da mu nadjenu ime. 63I zaiskavši dašèicu, napisa govoreæi: Jovan mu je ime. I zaèudiše se svi. 64I odmah mu se otvoriše usta i jezik njegov, i govoraše hvaleæi Boga. 65I uðe strah u sve susjede njihove; i po svoj gornjoj Judeji razglasi se ovaj sav dogaðaj. 66I svi koji èuše metnuše u srce svoje govoreæi: šta æe biti iz ovoga djeteta? I ruka Gospodnja bješe s njim. 67I Zarija otac njegov napuni se Duha svetoga, i prorokova govoreæi: 68Blagosloven Gospod Bog Jakovljev što pohodi i izbavi narod svoj, 76I ti, dijete, nazvaæeš se prorok najvišega; jer æeš iæi naprijed pred licem Gospodnjijem da mu pripraviš put; 80A dijete rastijaše i jaèaše duhom, i bijaše u pustinji dotle dok se ne pokaza Izrailju.

Nativity of St John the Baptist

The wonderful story of the Forerunner’s conception and birth is told in the first chapter of the Gospel according to Luke. Together with the Most Holy Theotokos and Christ Himself, both his conception and his birth are commemorated as Feasts of the Church. His name, Johanan in Hebrew, means “The Lord is Gracious.”

The Prologue adds: “The news of the angel’s appearing to Zacharias, of his dumbness and of the loosening of his tongue at the exact moment that he wrote ‘John’, was carried throughout all Israel, coming to Herod’s ears. So, when he sent men to kill all the infants around Bethlehem, he sent men off to Zacharias’ family house in the hills, to slay John also. But Elisabeth hid the child in good time. The king was enraged at this, and sent an executioner to the Temple to kill Zacharias (for it was then his turn to serve in the Temple again). Zacharias was killed between the court and the Temple, and his blood clotted and solidified on the paving slabs, and remained as an enduring witness against Herod. Elisabeth hid herself and the child in a cave, where she soon died. The young John remained in the wilderness alone, in the care of God and His angels.” See September 5.

Synaxis of Sts Zacharias and Elisabeth

Holy Martyrs Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus and Longinus (3rd c.)

They were all brothers, soldiers together during the reign of Maximian. During a Roman campaign against the Scythians beyond the Danube, Orentius fought in single combat with Marathom, a Scythian champion like Goliath, and slew him. The Roman commander ordered a sacrifice to the idols in thanksgiving for the victory; but Orentius and his brothers declared that they were Christians and would make no such sacrifice. In a moment, the champion of the battle became a persecuted confessor: without regard for his great victory, he and his brothers were sentenced to exile. All of them died on the way, from hunger or torture.