Prophet Nahum; Saint Philaret the Merciful of Constantinople (762); Our Venerable Father Eligius (Eloi), Bishop of Noyon (660)

I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare, ¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, ²⁰of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

⁸I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. ⁹In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety, not with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing, ¹⁰but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness. ¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness with full submission. ¹²But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience; ¹⁵but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with sobriety.

On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders. ²They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

³He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me: ⁴the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

⁵They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” ⁷They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

⁸Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”