Orthodox Study
From the calendar 2025

Sunday, October 12

Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council

Appointed readings

8 passages

Vespers · Old Testament

Genesis 14:14–20

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14Now when Abram heard his brother Lot was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants, born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

15So he divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

16So he brought back all the cavalry of Sodom, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

17Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings with him.

18Now Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.

19He blessed Abram and said, 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth;

20and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hands.' Then Abram gave him a tithe of all.

Vespers · Old Testament

Deuteronomy 1:8–11, 15–17

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8Behold, I am delivering the land in your presence; go in and inherit the land I swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give it to them and their seed after them.'

9'So I spoke to you at that time, saying, 'I alone am not able to bear you.

10The Lord your God multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude.

11May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you, just as He said.

12How can I alone bear your labors, your burdens, and your lawsuits?

13Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them leaders over you.'

14'Then you answered me and said, 'The thing you told us to do is good.'

15So I took from you wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men and made them leaders over you: leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens; judges to interpret the law for you.

16'Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the resident alien with him.

17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall judge the small and the great; you shall not shrink before any man's presence, for the judgment is God's. The case too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.'

Vespers · Old Testament

Deuteronomy 10:14–21

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14Indeed, heaven and heaven of heaven belong to the Lord your God, also the earth and everything in it.

15The Lord chose your fathers to love them; and He chose their seed after them, you above all nations, as it is this day.

16Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

17For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

18He administers justice for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing.

19Therefore, love the resident aliens, for you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt.

20You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and hold fast to Him, and take oaths in His name.

21He is your boast and your God, who did these great and glorious things for you, the things you saw with your own eyes.

Matins · Gospel

John 20:1–10

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1Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.'

3Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

7and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

8Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

9For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Epistle

2 Corinthians 9:6–11

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6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

9As it is written: 'He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.'

10Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

11while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

Epistle

Hebrews 13:7–16

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7Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Gospel

Luke 7:11–16

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11Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.

12And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

13When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.'

14Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.'

15So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

16Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen up among us'; and, 'God has visited His people.'

Gospel

John 17:1–13

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1Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

2as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

4I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

5And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

6'I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

7Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.

8For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

9'I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

10And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

11Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

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