Orthodox Study
From the calendar 2026

Sunday, February 8

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Appointed readings

3 passages

Matins · Gospel

Mark 16:1–8

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1Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.

2Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?'

4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.

5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6But he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

7But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.'

8So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Epistle

1 Corinthians 6:12–20

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12All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

13Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

14And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!

16Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For 'the two,' He says, 'shall become one flesh.'

17But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

18Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Gospel

Luke 15:11–32

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11Then He said: 'A certain man had two sons.

12And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.

13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17'But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.' '

20'And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22'But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

25'Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

27And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

28'But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

29So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'

31'And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' '

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