Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope; Venerable Cosmas, desert-dweller of Zographou, Mt Athos (1323); Phocas the Gardener

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly. ¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. ²⁰For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power. ²¹What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

¹It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife. ²You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. ³For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. ⁴In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day, ³²and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. ³³In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”

³⁵Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

³⁶Amazement came on all and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”