Scripture Readings
Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers)
1The memory of a just man is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better than treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she bears law and mercy on her tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me, for I speak weighty things. And blessed is the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of humankind. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, knowledge and understanding. I have called on them. Counsel and sureness are mine; prudence is mine, strength is mine. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, then, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.
Composite 3 - Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5 (Vespers)
1A just man if he comes to his end will be at rest. A just man who dies will condemn the ungodly who are alive; for they will see the end of a just man and will not understand what they counselled concerning him. For the Lord will break the ungodly, render them voiceless and cast them headlong, and he will shake them from the foundations and they will be utterly worsted in sorrow, and their memory shall perish. They shall come with fear at the accounting of their sins, and their iniquities will convict them to their face. Then the just will stand with much boldness in the face of those who afflicted him and made his toils of no account. When they see this they will be troubled with great fear and will be amazed at the wonder of his salvation. For they will say as they repent and with anguish they will groan and say: Is this he whom we fools once made a laughing stock and a byword of reproach? We reckoned his life folly and his end dishonour. How has he been numbered among the children of God and his lot with the Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone on us and the sun has not dawned on us. We have been filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction and journeyed through trackless paths, but have not known the way of the Lord.
Composite 4 - Proverbs 10; Wisdom of Solomon 6, 7, 8, 9 (Vespers)
1The mouth of a just man distils wisdom; the lips of men know graces. The mouth of the wise meditates wisdom; justice delivers them from death. When a just man dies hope is not lost; for a just son is born for life, and among his good things he will pluck the fruit of justice. There is light at all times for the just, and they will find grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of the wise knows what is good, and wisdom will take its rest in their hearts. The Lord loves holy hearts; while all who are blameless in the way are acceptable to him. The wisdom of the Lord will enlighten the face of the understanding; for she anticipates those who desire her before they know it, and is easily contemplated by those who love her. One who rises for her at dawn will not toil, and one who keeps vigil because of her will be without care. For she goes about seeking those who are worthy of her, and shows herself favourably to those on her paths. Wickedness will never prevail against wisdom. Because of this I too became a lover of her beauty and became her friend, and I sought her out from my youth, and I sought to take her as my bride, because the Master of all things loved her, for she is an initiate of the knowledge of God and one who chooses his works. Her toils are virtues; she herself teaches sobriety and prudence; justice and courage, than which things nothing is more useful in human life. If anyone longs for much experience, she knows how to compare things of old and those that are to come. She knows the twists of words and the explanations of riddles. She foresees signs and wonders and the outcomes of seasons and times. And to all she is a good counsellor. Because immortality is in her, and fame in the fellowship of her words. Therefore I appealed to the Lord and besought him and said from my whole heart, ‘God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your Word, and established humanity by your Wisdom to be sovereign over the creatures that had come into being by you, and to order the world in holiness and justice, give me Wisdom who sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your children, for I am your servant and the son of your maid servant. Send her out from your holy dwelling and from the throne of your glory, that she may be present with me and teach me what is well pleasing before you. And she will guide me with knowledge and guard me with her glory. For all the thoughts of mortals are wretched and their ideas are unstable.’
John 20.11-18
(8th Matins Gospel)
11A Marija stajaše napolju kod groba i plakaše. I kad plakaše nadviri se nad grob,
12I vidje dva anðela u bijelijem haljinama gdje sjede jedan èelo glave a jedan èelo nogu gdje bješe ležalo tijelo Isusovo.
13I rekoše joj oni: ženo! što plaèeš? Reèe im: uzeše Gospoda mojega, i ne znam gdje ga metnuše.
14I ovo rekavši obazre se natrag, i vidje Isusa gdje stoji, i ne znadijaše da je Isus.
15Isus joj reèe: ženo! što plaèeš? koga tražiš? A ona misleæi da je vrtar reèe mu: gospodine! ako si ga ti uzeo kaži mi gdje si ga metnuo, i ja æu ga uzeti.
16Isus joj reèe: Marija! A ona obazrevši se reèe mu: Ravuni! koje znaèi uèitelju.
17Reèe joj Isus: ne dohvataj se do mene, jer se još ne vratih k ocu svojemu; nego idi k braæi mojoj, i kaži im: vraæam se k ocu svojemu i ocu vašemu, i Bogu svojemu i Bogu vašemu.
18A Marija Magdalina otide, i javi uèenicima da vidje Gospoda i kaza joj ovo.
2 Corinthians 11.31-12.9 (Epistle)
31Bog i otac Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista, koji je blagosloven vavijek, zna da ne lažem.
32U Damasku neznabožaèki knez cara Arete èuvaše grad Damask i šæaše da me uhvati; i kroz prozor spustiše me u kotarici preko zida, i izbjegoh iz njegovijeh ruku.
1Ali mi se ne pomaže hvaliti, jer æu doæi na viðenja i otkrivenja Gospodnja.
2Znam èovjeka u Hristu koji prije èetrnaest godina ili u tijelu, ne znam; ili osim tijela, ne znam: Bog zna) bi odnesen do treæega neba.
3I znam za takovog èovjeka ili u tijelu, ili osim tijela, ne znam: Bog zna)
4Da bi odnesen u raj, i èu neiskazane rijeèi kojijeh èovjeku nije slobodno govoriti.
5Tijem æu se hvaliti, a sobom se neæu hvaliti, veæ ako slabostima svojima.
6Jer kad bih se i htio hvaliti, ne bih bio bezuman, jer bih istinu kazao; ali štedim da ne bi ko više pomislio za mene nego što me vidi ili èuje što od mene.
7I da se ne bih ponio za premnoga otkrivenja, dade mi se žalac u meso, anðeo sotonin, da me æuša da se ne ponosim.
8Zato triput Gospoda molih da otstupi od mene.
9I reèe mi: dosta ti je moja blagodat; jer se moja sila u slabosti pokazuje sasvijem. Daklem æe se najslaðe hvaliti svojijem slabostima, da se useli u mene sila Hristova.
Hebrews 7.26-8.2
(Epistle, St Innocent)
26Jer takov nama trebaše poglavar sveštenièki: svet, bezazlen, èist, odvojen od grješnika, i koji je bio više nebesa;
27Kojemu nije potrebno svaki dan, kao sveštenicima, najprije za svoje grijehe žrtve prinositi, a potom za narodne, jer on ovo uèini jednom, kad sebe prinese.
28Jer zakon postavlja ljude za sveštenike koji imaju slabost; a rijeè zakletve koja je reèena po zakonu, postavi sina vavijek savršena.
1A ovo je glava od toga što govorimo: imamo takovoga poglavara sveštenièkoga koji sjede s desne strane prijestola velièine na nebesima;
2Koji je sluga svetinjama i istinitoj skiniji, koju naèini Gospod, a ne èovjek.
Luke 7.11-16 (Gospel)
11I potom iðaše u grad koji se zove Nain, i s njim iðahu mnogi uèenici njegovi i mnoštvo naroda.
12Kad se približiše k vratima gradskijem, i gle, iznošahu mrtvaca, jedinca sina matere njegove, i ona bješe udovica i naroda iz grada mnogo iðaše s njom.
13I vidjevši je Gospod sažali mu se za njom, i reèe joj: ne plaèi.
14I pristupivši prihvati za sanduk; a nosioci stadoše, i reèe: momèe! tebi govorim, ustani.
15I sjede mrtvac i stade govoriti; i dade ga materi njegovoj.
16A strah obuze sve, i hvaljahu Boga govoreæi: veliki prorok iziðe meðu nama, i Bog pohodi narod svoj.
John 10.9-16
(Gospel, St Innocent)
9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi.
10Lupež ne dolazi ni za što drugo nego da ukrade i ubije i pogubi; ja doðoh da imaju život i izobilje.
11Ja sam pastir dobri; pastir dobri dušu svoju polaže za ovce,
12A najamnik, koji nije pastir, kome nijesu ovce svoje, vidi vuka gdje ide, i ostavlja ovce, i bježi: i vuk razgrabi ovce i raspudi ih;
13A najamnik bježi, jer je najamnik i ne mari za ovce.
14Ja sam pastir dobri i znam svoje, i moje mene znaju.
15Kao što mene zna otac i ja znam oca; i dušu svoju polažem za ovce.
16I druge ovce imam koje nijesu iz ovoga tora, i one mi valja dovesti; i èuæe glas moj, i biæe jedno stado i jedan pastir.