Prokeimenon (Psalm 8), tone 4: O Lord, our Lord, / how wonderful is Your name throughout all the earth.
Verse: For Your splendor will exceed the heavens.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 8), tone 4: O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Your name for all the earth!
Verse: Your greatness is exalted above the sky!
Reading the prophecies of Isaiah (Is. 52:13–15; 53:1–12; 54:1).
Reader: Thus says the Lord: Behold, my child will understand, and he will be exalted and greatly glorified, because many will be terrified of you, so your appearance will be disgraced from man, and your glory from sons of men. Thus the nations will be amazed at the multitude about Him, and the king will stop their mouths: for even though they are not told about Him, they will see, and those who have not heard will understand. Lord, who believes our hearing? And to whom did the arm of the Lord open? We proclaimed that He was a child before Him, like a root in a thirsty land, that there was no form of Him, lower than glory: and we saw Him, and there was no form or kindness. But His appearance is dishonored, it is humbled more than all the sons of men: this man is in the ulcer, and knows to endure illness, because His face was turned away, He was dishonorable and not accounted for. This is our sins, and we are sick, and we are imputed to His being in labor, and in the ulcer from God, and in embitterment. The same plague was for our sins, and the same was tormented for our iniquity, the punishment of our peace was upon Him; by His plague we were healed.
All are like sheep that have gone astray: man has gone astray from his way, and the Lord has given up His sin for our sakes. And He, being so embittered, does not open His mouth: like a sheep that is led to the slaughter, and like a lamb that is mute before its shearers, so He does not open His mouth. In His humility His judgment will be taken: who can confess His generation? As if His life were lifted up from the earth, because of the iniquities of my people I was led to death. And I will give the wicked in place of His burial, and the rich in place of His death, for thou hast not committed iniquity, lest flattery be found in His mouth. And the Lord wants to cleanse Him from the plague: if sin is given, your soul will see a long-living seed. And the Lord wants with His hand to take away the disease from His soul, to show Him light, and to create with His mind, to justify the righteous, to serve the many well, and He will bear their sins. For this reason He will inherit many, and He will share the covetousness of the strong: His soul was given over to death, and was imputed with the transgressors, and He bore the sins of many, and for Their iniquities He was handed over.
The barren one who does not give birth rejoices, the one who is not sick with children shouts and cries, for there are many more empty children than those who have husbands.
Reading the prophecy of Isaiah [52:13–15; 53:1–12; 54:1]
Thus says the Lord: Behold, My Servant will understand, and will be exalted, and will be glorified, and will be greatly exalted. How many will be horrified, looking at You: so Your appearance will be dishonored by people and Your glory by the sons of men! Thus many nations will be amazed at Him, and kings will shut their mouths, for they will see what was not announced about Him, and will know what they have not heard. God! Who believed what they heard from us and to whom was the hand of the Lord revealed? We declared that the Child was before Him as a root in a thirsty land: He had neither form nor glory, and we saw Him: and He had neither form nor beauty. But His appearance is dishonorable, more debased than all the sons of men; a man with wounds, able to endure illness, so that they turned away from His face, dishonored Him and did not regard Him as anything. He bears our sins and endures torment for us, but we thought that He was in distress and wounds and suffering from God. But He was wounded for our iniquities and exhausted for our sins, the punishment of our peace was upon Him, by His stripes we were healed.
We all, like sheep, wandered: each one lost his way, and the Lord gave Him for our sins. But He, despite the torment, does not open His mouth: just as a sheep is led to the slaughter, and like a lamb is silent before its shearers, so He does not open His mouth. In His humiliation, His judgment was completed. Who will explain His generation? For His life is taken from the earth; He is brought to death for the iniquity of My people. And I will betray the wicked for His burial and the rich for His death, for He committed no iniquity and no deceit was found in His mouth. And the Lord is pleased to cleanse Him from the wound; and when He is betrayed for sin, your soul will see long-lasting offspring. And the Lord is pleased with His hand to remove suffering from His soul, to show Him light and bestow reason, to justify the Righteous One, who served for the good of many. And He will bear their sins. Therefore, He will receive many as an inheritance and will share the spoils with the strong, because His soul was given over to death, and He was numbered among the wicked, and He bore the sins of many and was given for their sins.
Be joyful, barren woman who does not give birth, speak with joy and shout, you who did not suffer in childbirth, for she who is deprived has many more children than she who has a husband.
Readings from the Hebrew Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul (Heb. 2:11–18).
Brothers, holy and sanctified, from the One of all: even for the sake of guilt he is not ashamed to call them to the brethren, with the verb: I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, in the midst of the church I will sing Cha. And again: I will hope Nan. And again: behold, Az and the children whom Me gave are God. From now on, the children have partaken of flesh and blood, and have sincerely partaken of the same, so that death may abolish the power of death, that is, the devil. And he will deliver these, who have the fear of death through their entire life, to blame for their work. It is not from the Angel that he receives, but from the seed of Abraham he receives. Therefore, you must be like the brethren in everything, so that the high priest will be merciful and faithful to those who approach God, even to cleanse the sins of people. In this time, since I myself suffered, I was tempted, and perhaps I could help those who were tempted.
Reading the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews [2:11–18]
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from One: for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing to You. And one more thing: I will trust in Him. And one more thing: Here I am and the children whom God gave Me. Therefore, just as children are partakers of blood and flesh, so He became partaker of blood and flesh, in order through death to abolish the one who has the power over death, that is, the devil, and to free all those who, in fear of death, were subject to slavery all their lives. For, undoubtedly, He did not take on angels, but He took on Abraham’s seed. Therefore, He had to be like his brothers in everything in order to become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service before God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For just as He suffered, having Himself been tempted, He can help those who are tempted.