Monk Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New; Martyr Irenarchus and Seven Women Martyrs at Sebaste; Martyr Timothy and his Companions at Tiberiopolis

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. ⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed. ⁷But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness. ⁸For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now and of that which is to come. ¹⁶Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

He said therefore, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. ¹³He called ten servants of his and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, ‘Conduct business until I come.’ ¹⁴But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to reign over us.’

¹⁵“When he had come back again, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by conducting business. ¹⁶The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.’

¹⁷“He said to him, ‘Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

¹⁸“The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.’

¹⁹“So he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’

²⁰Another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold, your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, ²¹for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn’t lay down, and reap that which you didn’t sow.’

²²“He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I didn’t lay down and reaping that which I didn’t sow. ²³Then why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank, and at my coming, I might have earned interest on it?’ ²⁴He said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.’

²⁵“They said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ²⁶‘For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him. ²⁷But bring those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.’” ²⁸Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.