THIRD HOUR

The waters saw you, O God, \* the waters saw you and were afraid.

Prokeimenon of the Prophecy. Tone 4. [10]

Verse: The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory thundered, the Lord upon many waters.

Thus says the Lord:  Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil doings from your souls; before my eyes cease from your evil doings.  Learn to do good; seek judgement, deliver the oppressed; give judgement for the orphan, do right for the widow.  And come and let us reason together, says the Lord.  Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow; though they are red like crimson, I will make them white like wool.  If you are willing and listen to me, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you are not willing and do not listen to me, a sword will devour you; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.

6. The Reading is from the Prophecy of Isaias.

In those days, while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.  He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’  They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’  Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’  They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’  Paul said, ‘John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.’  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.  There were about twelve men all told.  He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.

7. The Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.