Ven. Daniel the Stylite; Saint Nikon the Dry of the Kiev Caves (1101); Our Venerable Father Luke the New Stylite (979)

Be diligent to come to me soon, ¹⁰for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ¹²But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. ¹⁸And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. ²¹Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. ³¹He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him. ³³But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

³⁴He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.