Orthodox Study
From the calendar 2025

Saturday, May 10

Apostle Simon the Zealot

Appointed readings

8 passages

Vespers · Epistle

1 John 3:21–4:6

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21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

22And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

24Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

3and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

5They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Vespers · Epistle

1 John 4:11–16

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11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

13By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Vespers · Epistle

1 John 4:20–5:5

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20If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Matins · Gospel

John 21:15–25

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15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Feed My lambs.'

16He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Tend My sheep.'

17He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed My sheep.'

18Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.'

19This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me.'

20Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, 'Lord, who is the one who betrays You?'

21Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'But Lord, what about this man?'

22Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'

23Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?'

24This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

25And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Epistle

Acts 9:20–31

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20Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

21Then all who heard were amazed, and said, 'Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'

22But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

23Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

24But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.

25Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

26And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

28So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

29And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

30When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

31Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Epistle

1 Corinthians 4:9–16

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9For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

12And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

14I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

15For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

Gospel

John 15:17–16:2

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17These things I command you, that you love one another.

18'If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

21But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

23He who hates Me hates My Father also.

24If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.

25But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without cause.'

26'But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

1These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

2They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Gospel

Matthew 13:54–58

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54When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, 'Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

55Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?'

57So they were offended at Him.

58But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.' Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

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