Friday, January 4, 2030
Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles
On Friday, January 4, 2030, Orthodox Christians on the New Calendar remember Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles; Royal Hours of Theophany; and Forefeast of Theophany. It is a fast-free day. On the Old Calendar the same day remembers Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ; and Anastasia and Companions. It is a strict fast day.
New Calendar
Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles
Also commemorated
- Royal Hours of Theophany
- Forefeast of Theophany
- Synaxis of Seventy Apostles
- The Ethiopian Eunuch of Queen Candace
- Venerable Apollinaria (5th c.)
This day is a fast-free day, all foods are permitted.
Old Calendar
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ
Also commemorated
This day is a strict fast, no meat, dairy, fish, wine, or oil.
The saints of the day
On the New Calendar
On the Old Calendar
- Tone 6 of the Octoechos
- 31st Week after Pentecost
Readings, New Calendar
1st Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 35.1-10
35:1Be glad, thou thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult, and flower as the lily. 2And the desert places of Jordan shall blossom and rejoice; the glory of Libanus has been given to it, and the honour of Carmel; and my people shall see the glory of the Lord, and the majesty of God. 3Be strong, ye relaxed hands and palsied knees. 4Comfort one another, ye faint-hearted; be strong, fear not; behold, our God renders judgment, and he will render it; he will come and save us. 5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear.
6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly; for water has burst forth in the desert, and a channel of water in a thirsty land. 7And the dry land shall become pools, and a fountain of water shall be poured into the thirsty land; there shall there be a joy of birds, ready habitations and marshes. 8There shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called a holy way; and there shall not pass by there any unclean person, neither shall there be there an unclean way; but the dispersed shall walk on it, and they shall not go astray.
9And there shall be no lion there, neither shall any evil beast go up upon it, nor at all be found there; but the redeemed and gathered on the Lord's behalf, shall walk in it, 10and shall return, and come to Sion with joy, and everlasting joy shall be over their head; for on their head shall be praise and exultation, and joy shall take possession of them: sorrow and pain, and groaning have fled away.
Brenton LXX, public domain
1st Hour, EpistleActs 13.25-33
13:25As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 26“Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
28Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
WEB, public domain
1st Hour, GospelMatthew 3.1-11
3:1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!” 4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! 9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 11“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
WEB, public domain
3rd Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 1.16-20
1:16Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before mine eyes; cease from your iniquities; 17learn to do well; diligently seek judgment, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow. 18And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool. 19And if ye be willing, and hearken to me, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20but if ye be not willing, nor hearken to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.
Brenton LXX, public domain
3rd Hour, EpistleActs 19.1-8
19:1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. 2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. 7They were about twelve men in all. 8He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
WEB, public domain
3rd Hour, GospelMark 1.1-8
1:1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you: 3the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” 4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
WEB, public domain
6th Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 12.3-6
12:3Draw ye therefore water with joy out of the wells of salvation. 4And in that day thou shalt say, Sing to the Lord, call aloud upon his name, proclaim his glorious deeds among the Gentiles; make mention that his name is exalted. 5Sing praise to the name of the Lord; for he has done great things: declare this in all the earth. 6Exalt and rejoice, ye that dwell in Sion: for the Holy One of Israel is exalted in the midst of her.
Brenton LXX, public domain
6th Hour, EpistleRomans 6.3-11
6:3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
7For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him! 10For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
WEB, public domain
6th Hour, GospelMark 1.9-11
1:9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
WEB, public domain
9th Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 49.8-15
49:8Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee: and I have formed thee, and given thee for a covenant of the nations, to establish the earth, and to cause to inherit the desert heritages: 9saying to them that are in bonds, Go forth; and bidding them that are in darkness shew themselves. They shall be fed in all the ways, and in all the paths shall be their pasture. 10They shall not hunger, neither shall they thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; but he that has mercy on them shall comfort them, and by fountains of waters shall he lead them.
11And I will make every mountain a way, and every path a pasture to them. 12Behold, these shall come from far: and these from the north and the west, and others from the land of the Persians. 13Rejoice, ye heavens; and let the earth be glad: let the mountains break forth with joy; for the Lord has had mercy on his people, and has comforted the lowly ones of his people. 14But Sion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and, The Lord has forgotten me. 15Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have compassion upon the offspring of her womb? but if a woman should even forget these, yet I will not forget thee, saith the Lord.
Brenton LXX, public domain
9th Hour, EpistleTitus 2.11-14, 3.4-7
2:11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. 3:4But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior;
7that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
WEB, public domain
9th Hour, GospelMatthew 3.13-17
3:13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” 15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
WEB, public domain
Epistle1 Peter 1.1-2, 10-12, 2.6-10
1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 10Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently. They prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed to when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow them.
12To them it was revealed that they served not themselves, but you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. 2:6Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.” 7For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” 8and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
WEB, public domain
GospelMark 13.1-8
13:1As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!” 2Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.” 3As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”
5Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. 6For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray. 7“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.
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The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.
Readings, Old Calendar
1st Hour, ProphecyMicah 5.2-4
5:2Therefore shall he appoint them to wait till the time of her that travails: she shall bring forth, and then the remnant of their brethren shall return to the children of Israel. 3And the Lord shall stand, and see, and feed his flock with power, and they shall dwell in the glory of the name of the Lord their God: for now shall they be magnified to the ends of the earth. 4And she shall have peace when Assur shall come into your land, and when he shall come up upon your country; and there shall be raised up against him seven shepherds, and eight attacks of men.
Brenton LXX, public domain
1st Hour, EpistleHebrews 1.1-12
1:1God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs.
5For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” 6When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.” 8But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” 10And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. 12You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won’t fail.”
WEB, public domain
1st Hour, GospelMatthew 1.18-25
1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” 22Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” 24Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
WEB, public domain
3rd Hour, ProphecyJeremiah (Baruch 3.35-4.4)
3:35This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of him. 36He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved. 37Afterward did he shew himself upon earth, and conversed with men. 4:1This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endureth for ever: all they that keep it shall come to life; but such as leave it shall die. 2Turn thee, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk in the presence of the light thereof, that thou mayest be illuminated.
3Give not thine honour to another, nor the things that are profitable unto thee to a strange nation. 4O Israel, happy are we: for things that are pleasing to God are made known unto us.
Brenton LXX, public domain
3rd Hour, EpistleGalatians 3.23-29
3:23But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
WEB, public domain
3rd Hour, GospelLuke 2.1-20
2:1Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. 4Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. 6While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” 15When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. 17When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. 18All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
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6th Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 7.10-16; 8.1-4, 9-10
7:10And the Lord again spoke to Achaz, saying, 11Ask for thyself a sign of the Lord thy God, in the depth or in the height. 12And Achaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. 13And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a little thing for you to contend with men? and how do ye contend against the Lord? 14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel.
15Butter and honey shall he eat, before he knows either to prefer evil, or choose the good. 16For before the child shall know good or evil, he refuses evil, to choose the good; and the land shall be forsaken which thou art afraid of because of the two kings. 8:1And the Lord said to me, Take to thyself a volume of a great new book, and write in it with a man's pen concerning the making a rapid plunder of spoils; for it is near at hand. 2And make me witnesses of faithful men, Urias, and Zacharias the son of Barachias.
3And I went in to the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. And the Lord said to me, Call his name, Spoil quickly, plunder speedily. 4For before the child shall know how to call his father or his mother, one shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of the Assyrians. 9Know, ye Gentiles, and be conquered; hearken ye, even to the extremity of the earth: be conquered, after ye have strengthened yourselves; for even if ye should again strengthen yourselves, ye shall again be conquered. 10And whatsoever counsel ye shall take, the Lord shall bring it to nought; and whatsoever word ye shall speak, it shall not stand among you: for God is with us.
Brenton LXX, public domain
6th Hour, EpistleHebrews 1.10-2.3
1:10And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. 12You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won’t fail.” 13But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
2:1Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away. 2For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard,
WEB, public domain
6th Hour, GospelMatthew 2.1-12
2:1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, 6‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
7Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” 9They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
WEB, public domain
9th Hour, ProphecyIsaiah 9.6-7
9:6His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to support it with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. 7The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel.
Brenton LXX, public domain
9th Hour, EpistleHebrews 2.11-18
2:11For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.” 14Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham. 17Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
WEB, public domain
9th Hour, GospelMatthew 2.13-23
2:13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” 14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, 18“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.” 21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.
WEB, public domain
Epistle1 Peter 1.1-2, 10-12, 2.6-10
1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 10Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently. They prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed to when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow them.
12To them it was revealed that they served not themselves, but you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. 2:6Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.” 7For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” 8and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
WEB, public domain
GospelMark 10.23-32
10:23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!” 24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! 25It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” 26They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
28Peter began to tell him, “Behold, we have left all and have followed you.” 29Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, 30but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
32They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him.
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The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.
Questions
What does the Orthodox Church remember on Friday, January 4, 2030?
- On the New Calendar, Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles; Royal Hours of Theophany; and Forefeast of Theophany.
- On the Old Calendar, Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ; and Anastasia and Companions.
Is Friday, January 4, 2030 a fast day in the Orthodox Church?
- On the New Calendar it is a fast-free day.
- On the Old Calendar it is a strict fast day.
What are the Orthodox readings for Friday, January 4, 2030?
On the New Calendar:
The services appoint 14 readings, from Isaiah 35.1-10 (1st Hour, Prophecy), all listed above.
On the Old Calendar:
The services appoint 14 readings, from Micah 5.2-4 (1st Hour, Prophecy), all listed above.
