Ven. Theodora of Alexandria; Trans. Rel. Ven. Sergius and Herman; St Euphrosynos the Cook of Alexandria (9th c.)

But as you abound in everything—in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us—see that you also abound in this grace.

⁸I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. ⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. ¹⁰I give advice in this: it is expedient for you who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. ¹¹But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. ¹²For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. ¹³For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, ¹⁴but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality. ¹⁵As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

²⁰Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. ²¹Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” ²²Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

²³Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. ²⁶If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

²⁷“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause.

²⁸Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

²⁹Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

³⁰Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. ³¹Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. ³²And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

³⁴The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

³⁵Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going. ³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.