Afterfeast of the Transfiguration

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

¹⁵In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said, ¹⁶“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. ¹⁷For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

²¹“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²²beginning from the baptism of John to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

²³They put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.” ²⁶They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

²Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them ³and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁵Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, ⁶but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.

⁷“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! ⁸If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. ⁹If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. ¹⁰See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. ¹¹For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.