Wednesday, July 30, 2064
Apostles Silas, Silvanus, Crescens, Epenetus, and Andronicus of the Seventy; Hieromartyr Polychronius, Bishop of Babylon, and those with him (251); Venerable Angelina, Princess of Albania.
Wednesday of the 9th week after Pentecost
Tone 7. Fast day: strict. What this means
The Epistle for Apostles Silas & Silvanus
Acts 15:35–41
But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also. 38But Paul didn’t think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work. 39Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.
The Gospel
Matthew 20:1–16
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 4He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’
7“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’
8“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’ 9“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. 10When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. 11When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, 12saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’
13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? 14Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. 15Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Commemorated today
- Apostles Silas, Silvanus, Crescens, Epenetus, and Andronicus of the Seventy
- Julitta of Caesaria
- Hieromartyr Polychronius, Bishop of Babylon, and those with him (251)
- Venerable Angelina, Princess of Albania.
Hymns and lives of the saints are on the Online Chapel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.