Readings for 4 January 2026

22 December 2025 on the Old calendar

Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, of the Fathers
30th Sunday after Pentecost

Liturgical colour: gold

Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40

Translation: World English Bible

⁹By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹⁷By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his only born son, ¹⁸to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” ¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. ²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. ²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²²By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. ²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. ³²What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets— ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹These all, having been commended for their faith, didn’t receive the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25

Translation: World English Bible

¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ²Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. ³Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. ⁴Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. ⁵Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. ⁶Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife. ⁷Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. ⁸Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. ⁹Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. ¹⁰Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. ¹¹Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. ¹²After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. ¹³Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. ¹⁴Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. ¹⁵Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. ¹⁶Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. ¹⁷So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations. ¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. ²⁰But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” ²²Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ²³“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” ²⁴Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; ²⁵and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Epistle: Galatians 3:23-29

Translation: World English Bible

²³But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ²⁴So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.

Gospel: Luke 7:36-50

Translation: World English Bible

³⁶One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table. ³⁷Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. ³⁸Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Teacher, say on.” ⁴¹“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?” ⁴³Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” ⁴⁴Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” ⁴⁸He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Gospel (Matins): John 20:11-18

Translation: World English Bible

¹¹But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, ¹²and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!” ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.

Old Testament (Vespers): Genesis 14:14-20

Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint

¹⁴And Abram having heard that Lot his nephew had been taken captive, numbered his own home-born servants three hundred and eighteen, and pursued after them to Dan. ¹⁵And he came upon them by night, he and his servants, and he smote them and pursued them as far as Choba, which is on the left of Damascus. ¹⁶And he recovered all the cavalry of Sodom, and he recovered Lot his nephew, and all his possessions, and the women and the people. ¹⁷And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter of Chodollogomor, and the kings with him, to the valley of Saby; this was the plain of the kings. ¹⁸And Melchisedec king of Salem brought forth loaves and wine, and he was the priest of the most high God. ¹⁹And he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, who made heaven and earth, ²⁰and blessed be the most high God who delivered thine enemies into thy power. And Abram gave him the tithe of all.

Old Testament (Vespers): Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17

Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint

⁸Behold, God has delivered the land before you; go in and inherit the land, which I sware to your fathers, Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give it to them and to their seed after them. ⁹And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I shall not be able by myself to bear you. ¹⁰The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, ye are to-day as the stars of heaven for multitude. ¹¹The Lord God of your fathers add to you a thousand-fold more than you are, and bless you as he has spoken to you. ¹⁵So I took of you wise and understanding and prudent men, and I set them to rule over you as rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and officers to your judges. ¹⁶And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear causes between your brethren, and judge rightly between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. ¹⁷Thou shalt not have respect to persons in judgment, thou shalt judge small and great equally; thou shalt not shrink from before the person of a man, for the judgment is God's; and whatsoever matter shall be too hard for you, ye shall bring it to me, and I will hear it.

Old Testament (Vespers): Deuteronomy 10:14-21

Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint

¹⁴Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord thy God, the earth and all things that are in it. ¹⁵Only the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and he chose out their seed after them, even you, beyond all nations, as at this day. ¹⁶Therefore ye shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and ye shall not harden your neck. ¹⁷For the Lord your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great, and strong, and terrible God, who does not accept persons, nor will he by any means accept a bribe: ¹⁸executing judgment for the stranger and orphan and widow, and he loves the stranger to give him food and raiment. ¹⁹And ye shall love the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²⁰Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt cleave to him, and shalt swear by his name. ²¹He is thy boast, and he is thy God, who has wrought in the midst of thee these great and glorious things, which thine eyes have seen.

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