Prokeimenon (Psalm 13), tone 6: The speech is foolish in his heart: / there is no God.
Verse: Do not do goodness, do not do it until one.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 13), tone 6: The fool said in his heart: “There is no God.”
Verse: There is no one who acts honestly, not even one.
Prophecies of Jeremiah reading (Jer.11:18–23; 12:1–5, 9–11, 14–15).
Lord, tell me, and I will understand: then I have seen their undertakings. But I, as a gentle lamb led to the slaughter, did not understand, because I thought an evil thought on me, saying: Come and let us put wood into his bread, and we will destroy him from the land of the living, and let no one remember his name. Lord of hosts, judge righteously, search hearts and wombs, so that I may see Your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my justification to You. For this reason the Lord speaks against the men of Anathoth who seek my soul, saying: Do not prophesy about the name of the Lord; otherwise, you will die in our hands. For this reason the Lord of hosts says: Behold, I will visit them: their young men will die with the sword, and their sons and their daughters will die in famine. And there will be no remnant of them, for I will bring evil upon those who live in Anathoth during the summer of their visitation. Thou art righteous, Lord, for I answer to Thee; I will cry to Thee both of fate: Why is it that the way of the wicked is sung, and all those who commit iniquity are satisfied?
Thou hast planted them, and having taken root, thou hast created children, and brought forth fruit: thou art near their mouth, but far from their wombs. And You, Lord, understand me, You have seen me, and You have tempted my heart before You; gather them together like sheep for the slaughter, and cleanse them on the day of their slaughter. How long will the earth weep, and how long will all the grass of the countryside dry up from the malice of those who live on it? Cattle and birds perished, like rekosha: God will not see our ways. Your nose flows and weakens you. Go, gather all the wild animals of the countryside, and let them come and destroy it. The many shepherds have corrupted My grapes, desecrated My part, and brought My desired part into the impassable desert, placing it in consumption of evil. For this is the saying of the Lord concerning all the wicked neighbors who touch My inheritance, which I have divided among My people Israel: Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and the house of Judah will I drive out from among them. And it shall come to pass, when I have plucked them out, that I will return and have mercy on them, and will settle them, each one into his own possession, and each one into his own land.
Reading the prophecy of Jeremiah [11:18–12:5, 9–11, 14–15]
God! Tell me and I will understand; since I have seen their deeds. For I, like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter, did not know that they had formed an evil plan against me, saying: “Come, let us put wood into his bread, and destroy him from the land of the living, so that his name will not be remembered anymore.” Lord of Powers, who judges righteously and tests hearts and innermost thoughts! May I see Your vengeance on them, for I have entrusted my work to You. Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth, who seek my soul and say: “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, otherwise you will die at our hands.” Therefore thus says the Lord Almighty: “Behold, I will visit them: their young men shall die by the sword, and their sons and their daughters shall die of hunger. And there will be no remnant of them, for I will bring disaster upon the inhabitants of Anathoth in the year of my visitation.” You are righteous, Lord, when I justify myself before You, yet I will speak to You about the truth. Why is the path of the wicked prosperous, and all the workers of iniquity prosper? You planted them, and they took root: they gave birth to children and bore fruit. You are close in their mouths, but far from their souls.
And You, Lord, know me, have seen me and tested what my heart is like before You. Gather them together like sheep to be slaughtered, and prepare them for the day of their slaughter. How long will the earth weep and all the grass of the field dry up from the malice of its inhabitants? The cattle and birds perished, for they said: “God will not see our ways.” Your legs run and weaken you. Go, gather all the beasts of the field, let them come to devour him. Many shepherds have spoiled My vineyard, desecrated My inheritance, and turned My beloved part into an impenetrable desert. Completely devastated and destroyed. For this is what the Lord says about all the wicked neighbors concerning My inheritance, which I have set apart for My people Israel: “Behold, I will take them out of their land, and I will drive out the house of Judah from among them. And after I have driven them out, I will return and have mercy on them, and will settle them, each one in his inheritance, and each one in his land.”
Reading to the Hebrew Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul (Heb. 10:19–31. Chapter 324).
Brothers, having the boldness to enter into the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, a new and living way, which He renewed for us with the veil, that is, His flesh, and the Great Priest above let us approach the house of God with a true heart in the declaration of faith, sprinkle the heart from the evil conscience, and wash the body with clean water. Let us keep the unwavering confession of hope: for the One who promised is faithful. And let us understand each other in encouraging love and good deeds, not abandoning the gathering together, as there is a certain custom, but (each other) striving: and only more so, as you see the day approaching (judgmental). For it is the will of those who sin after we have accepted the mind of truth, for those who do not find a sacrifice for their sins. A certain aspiration for judgment is terrible, and there is a fiery jealousy that wants to be resisted. Anyone who rejects the Law of Moses dies without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses. How much, do you think, will the bitter one be worthy of torment, even though he trampled upon the Son of God, and considered the Blood of the Covenant defilement, and in it he was sanctified, and rebuked the Spirit of grace?
We reekshago: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again: as the Lord judges His people. It’s scary to even fall into the hands of the Zhivago God.
Reading the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews [10:19–31]
Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He again revealed to us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a sincere heart in the fullness of faith, having sprinkled our hearts from an evil conscience and washed our bodies with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us be attentive to each other, encouraging us to love and good deeds, not abandoning our meeting together, as is the custom of some, but calling for cheerfulness, and even more so the closer you see the Day. For if, having received the knowledge of the truth, we sin voluntarily, then there remains no longer a sacrifice for sin, but a certain terrible expectation of judgment and the fury of fire, ready to devour our opponents. A man who rejects the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses; How much worse punishment, do you think, will be worthy of the one who trampled on the Son of God and the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified, without honoring it as a shrine and offending the Holy Spirit.
For we know Him who said: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay; and again: The Lord will judge His people. It's scary to fall into the hands of the Living God!