Hieromartyr Zenobius and His Sister Zenobia; Holy Apostle Cleopas; St Joseph I, Patriarch of Constantinople (1283)

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. ⁹Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us, ¹¹you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

¹⁹His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd. ²⁰Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”

²¹But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”