Martyrs Carpus, Papylus, Agathodorus and Agathonica, at Pergamus; Holy Martyr Zlata (Chryse) (1796); Benjamin the Deacon

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her, ²⁶that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect. ²⁸Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly, ³⁰because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. ³¹“For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.” ³²This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly. ³³Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. ²³But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water. ²⁴They came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; then they ceased, and it was calm. ²⁵He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid, they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”