Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius the Notaries; St Tabitha of Joppa; Chrysaphios (or Chrysaphos) the Martyr

For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. ²For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, ³if indeed being clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened, not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; ⁷for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. ¹⁰For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. ²A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. ³When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. ⁴When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, ⁵for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” ⁶Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. ⁷Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” ¹⁰Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.