Verse: The Lord is the defender of my life: from whom shall I fear? Ps 26:1

Apostle

Epistle to the Corinthians, conceived 143a

(on Saturday and Sunday conceived 143b)

Brethren, being free from all, I enslaved myself to everything, that I might gain more; and he became unto the Jews as a Jew, that he might gain the Jews. for those under the law, as one under the law, not being himself under the law, to gain those under the law; to those who are strangers to the Law, as a stranger to the Law – not being a stranger to the Law before God, but subject to the law of Christ – in order to gain those who are strangers to the Law; I have become to the weak as one who is weak, that I may gain the weak. I have become all things to all, in order to save at least some. And I do this for the sake of the Gospel, in order to become a partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run on the lists all run, but one receives the reward? So run to receive. And every one who strives abstains from everything: those in order to receive a perishable crown, but we – the incorruptible. Therefore I do not run as in vain, nor do I fight as if I strike the air, but I oppress my body and enslave it, so that by preaching to others I myself may not be worthless.

1 Corinthians 9:19–27

Alleluia, tone 6

Verse: My heart has poured out a good word, I will speak my deeds to the King.

Verse: You blossom in beauty among the sons of men. Ps 44:2a, 3a

The Gospel of Luke, conceived 9

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, under the high priest Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. And he went through all the Jordan region, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight: every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be lowered, and the crooked path will be straight, and the rough paths will be smooth roads, and all flesh will see the salvation of God." So he said to the people who came out to be baptized by him: "Spawn of serpents! Who told you to flee from future anger? Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourselves, "Our father is Abraham," for I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham out of these stones. Already the axe lies at the root of the trees: therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do? And he answered and said to them, He who has two shirts, let him share it with him who has not, and he who has food, let him do likewise. And the publicans also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" The soldiers also asked him, saying: "And what shall we do?" and he said to them: "Do not offend anyone, do not extort anyone, and be content with your salary." And when the people were waiting, and all were pondering in their hearts about John, "Is it not the Christ himself?" answered John, saying to all: "I baptize you with water; but the One who is stronger than me is coming, from Whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of His shoe. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His shovel is in His hand, and He will cleanse His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His garner, and the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." And he preached many other things to the people with exhortation.

Luke 3:1–18

Instead of "Worthy"

In Thee, O Blessed One, all creation rejoices: / The angelic host and the human race. / Thou art the sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, / the glory of virginity, from Whom God was incarnate and became a Child / our God who existed before all ages. / For He hath made Thy bowels enthroned, / And hath made Thy womb more extensive than the heavens. / In Thee, O Blessed One, all creation rejoices, / Glory to Thee!