Apostle Onesimus of the Seventy; Our Venerable Father Dalmatius of Siberia (1697); Our Venerable Father Anthimos of Chios (1960)

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, ²to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, ⁵hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, ⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. ⁷For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁸Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, ⁹yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains, ¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. ¹²I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, ¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. ¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. ¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. ¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. ¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). ²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

He came out and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him. ⁴⁰When he was at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you don’t enter into temptation.”

⁴¹He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and he knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

⁴⁵When he rose up from his prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

⁴⁷While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared. He who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. ⁴⁸But Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

⁵¹But Jesus answered, “Let me at least do this”—and he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵²Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? ⁵³When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

⁵⁴They seized him and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed from a distance. ⁵⁵When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, “This man also was with him.”

⁵⁷He denied Jesus, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him.”

⁵⁸After a little while someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them!” But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”

⁵⁹After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!”

⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” ⁶²He went out, and wept bitterly.

⁶³The men who held Jesus mocked him and beat him. ⁶⁴Having blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?” ⁶⁵They spoke many other things against him, insulting him.

⁶⁶As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people were gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away into their council, saying,

⁶⁷“If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe, ⁶⁸and if I ask, you will in no way answer me or let me go. ⁶⁹From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

⁷⁰They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say it, because I am.”

⁷¹They said, “Why do we need any more witness? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth!”

¹The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.