3 Afterfeast of the Holy Theophany
3 The Synaxis of the Venerable and Illustrious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. (Synaxis of St John the Baptist)New Martyr Athanasius of Attalia (1700)Our Venerable Father Cedd, Bishop of Essex and Abbot of Lastingham (664)
Divine Liturgy
Acts 19:1–8 (Forerunner) § 42
Forerunner
In those days, it came to pass that while Apóllos was at Córinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Éphesus. And finding some disciples he said unto them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” And they said unto him, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Spirit.” And he said unto them, “Unto what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Unto the baptism of John.” Then said Paul, “John truly baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the Kingdom of God.
James 3:11–4:6
§ 55
James 3:11–4:6 § 55
Brethren, does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace… Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
John 1.29-34 (Forerunner) § 3
Forerunner
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέπει ὁ Ἰωάννης τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει· ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου.
[Заⷱ҇ 3] Во ᲂу҆́трїй (же) ви́дѣ і҆ѡа́ннъ і҆и҃са грѧдꙋ́ща къ себѣ̀ и҆ глаго́ла: сѐ, а҆́гнецъ бж҃їй, взе́млѧй грѣхѝ мі́ра:
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
οὗτός ἐστι περὶ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον· ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
се́й є҆́сть, ѡ҆ не́мже а҆́зъ рѣ́хъ: по мнѣ̀ грѧде́тъ мꙋ́жъ, и҆́же предо мно́ю бы́сть, ꙗ҆́кѡ пе́рвѣе менє̀ бѣ̀:
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τῷ Ἰσραήλ, διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βαπτίζων.
и҆ а҆́зъ не вѣ́дѣхъ є҆гѡ̀: но да ꙗ҆ви́тсѧ і҆и҃леви, сегѡ̀ ра́ди прїидо́хъ а҆́зъ водо́ю крестѧ̀.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἰωάννης λέγων ὅτι τεθέαμαι τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ὡς περιστερὰν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν.
И҆ свидѣ́тельствова і҆ѡа́ннъ, глаго́лѧ, ꙗ҆́кѡ ви́дѣхъ дх҃а сходѧ́ща ꙗ҆́кѡ го́лꙋбѧ съ небесѐ, и҆ пребы́сть на не́мъ:
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ’ ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν· ἐφ’ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ’ αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
и҆ а҆́зъ не вѣ́дѣхъ є҆гѡ̀: но посла́вый мѧ̀ крести́ти водо́ю, то́й мнѣ̀ речѐ: над̾ него́же ᲂу҆́зриши дх҃а сходѧ́ща и҆ пребыва́юща на не́мъ, то́й є҆́сть крⷭ҇тѧ́й дх҃омъ ст҃ы́мъ:
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
κἀγὼ ἑώρακα καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.
и҆ а҆́зъ ви́дѣхъ и҆ свидѣ́тельствовахъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ се́й є҆́сть сн҃ъ бж҃їй.
Luke 20.1-8
§ 99
Luke 20.1-8 § 99
AND it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων διδάσκοντος αὐτοῦ τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ εὐαγγελιζομένου ἐπέστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς σὺν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις
[Заⷱ҇ 99] И҆ бы́сть во є҆ди́нъ ѿ дні́й ѻ҆́нѣхъ, ᲂу҆ча́щꙋ є҆мꙋ̀ лю́ди въ це́ркви и҆ бл҃говѣствꙋ́ющꙋ, прїидо́ша свѧще́нницы и҆ кни́жницы со ста̑рцы
And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγοντες· εἰπὲ ἡμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς, ἢ τίς ἐστιν ὁ δούς σοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην;
и҆ рѣ́ша къ немꙋ̀, глаго́люще: рцы̀ на́мъ, ко́ею ѡ҆́бластїю сїѧ̑ твори́ши, и҆лѝ кто̀ є҆́сть да́вый тебѣ̀ вла́сть сїю̀;
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐρωτήσω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ ἕνα λόγον καὶ εἴπατέ μοι·
Ѿвѣща́въ же речѐ къ ни̑мъ: вопрошꙋ́ вы и҆ а҆́зъ є҆ди́нагѡ словесѐ, и҆ рцы́те мѝ:
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;
креще́нїе і҆ѡа́нново съ нб҃се́ ли бѣ̀, и҆лѝ ѿ человѣ̑къ;
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
οἱ δὲ συνελογίσαντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες ὅτι ἐὰν εἴπωμεν, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ, διατί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;
Ѻ҆ни́ же помышлѧ́хꙋ въ себѣ̀, глаго́люще, ꙗ҆́кѡ а҆́ще рече́мъ: съ нб҃сѐ, рече́тъ: почто̀ ᲂу҆̀бо не вѣ́ровасте є҆мꙋ̀;
But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωμεν, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καταλιθάσει ἡμᾶς· πεπεισμένος γάρ ἐστιν Ἰωάννην προφήτην εἶναι.
а҆́ще ли же рече́мъ: ѿ человѣ̑къ, всѝ лю́дїе ка́менїемъ побїю́тъ ны̀: и҆звѣ́стно бо бѣ̀ ѡ҆ і҆ѡа́ннѣ, ꙗ҆́кѡ прⷪ҇ро́къ бѣ̀.
And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν μὴ εἰδέναι πόθεν.
И҆ ѿвѣща́ша: не вѣ́мы ѿкꙋ́дꙋ.
And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.
І҆и҃съ же речѐ и҆̀мъ: ни а҆́зъ гл҃ю ва́мъ, ко́ею ѡ҆́бластїю сїѧ̑ творю̀.
Reader's reference
Divine Liturgy
Prokeimena
The righteous one shall rejoice in the Lord / and shall set his hope on Him.
VHear my voice, O God, when I pray unto Thee!
My soul magnifies the Lord / and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
VFor He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Alleluia
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
VRejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His Holiness!
Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.
VThe rich among the people shall pray before thy face.
Communion Hymn
The grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men.
I will receive the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord.