Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates; Holy Prophet Zechariah (6th c. BC); St Sabbas II, Archbishop of Serbia (1271)

But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; ⁸for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, that no one would boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. ¹⁸Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. ¹⁹But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. ²⁰For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

²¹“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.