Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucis, Callinicus; Holy Martyrs Philemon, Apollonius, Arian and those with them (3rd c.)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, ²to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ⁸Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God, ⁹who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, ¹⁰but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News. ¹¹For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

¹²For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

¹³Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

¹⁵This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, ¹⁷but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me ¹⁸(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”

³⁴But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.

³⁵He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” ³⁶He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”

³⁸John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

³⁹But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰For whoever is not against us is on our side. ⁴¹For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.