When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, / then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. / And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, / all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: // O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
Glory . . .
Both now...
The Lord is my strength and my song, // and He is become my salvation. (Ps. 117:14)
Vs/ With chastisement hath the Lord chastened me, but He hath not given me over unto death. (Ps. 117:18)
And in the 8th Tone
Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Brethren: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Brethren: Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were m en of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then tiding s of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them a ll, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
(NO pause before first verse)
The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee. (Ps. 19:1)
Vs/ O Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call upon Thee. (Ps. 19:9)
And in the 1st Tone
The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the congregations of saints
The Lord said: The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fow ls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? An d why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Where fore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and h is righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Lord said: He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subjec t unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. (Ps. 148:1)
Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
USUAL DISCLAIMER: Please review these materials for typos and just plain old mistakes! My spell-checker won't catch some words that are misusages (like bare for bear).
The Liturgical Calendar (St. John of Kronstadt Press) specifies a Polyeleos Service for this day (service 1D in the SJoKP Order of Divine Services).
The order for Troparia and Kontakia is for a Temple dedicated to a Saint. If your temple is dedicated to the Lord or to the Theotokos, please make the appropriate adjustments.
Elizabeth Riggs, the sinner ewriggs@mindspring.com
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