Holy Protomartyr Thecla, Equal to the Apostles (1st c.); St Silouan, elder of Mt Athos (1938) (September 11 OC); St Stephen, First-crowned King of Serbia (Simon the Monk) (1224)

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, ¹¹persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. ¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. ¹⁵From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”

⁴¹Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴²but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

²⁷It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”

²⁸But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”