Prophet Zephaniah; Ven. Savva of Zvenigorod; Our Venerable Father John the Silent, Bishop of Colonia (558)

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

¹But say the things which fit sound doctrine, ²that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance, ³and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good, ⁴that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed.

⁶Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded. ⁷In all things show yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, ⁸and soundness of speech that can’t be condemned, that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us.

⁹Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters and to be well-pleasing in all things, not contradicting, ¹⁰not stealing, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.

The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them. ²⁰They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. ²¹They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

²³But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

²⁴Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

²⁵He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.