Readings for 24 June 2026
11 June 2026 on the Old calendar
- ✠Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord, John
Liturgical colour: gold
Epistle: Romans 13:11-14:4
Translation: World English Bible
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light. 13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts. 14:1Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.
Gospel: Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80
Translation: World English Bible
1Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed. 5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 8Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division 9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.” 18Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” 21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.” 57Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.” 61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled. 64His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him. 67His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people; 76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, 80The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Gospel (Matins): Luke 1:24-25, 57-68, 76, 80
Translation: World English Bible
24After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.” 57Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.” 61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled. 64His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him. 67His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people; 76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, 80The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Old Testament (Vespers): Genesis 17:15-17, 19, 18:11-14, 21:1-2, 4-8
Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint
15And God said to Abraam, Sara thy wife—her name shall not be called Sara, Sarrha shall be her name. 16And I will bless her, and give thee a son of her, and I will bless him, and he shall become nations, and kings of nations shall be of him. 17And Abraam fell upon his face, and laughed; and spoke in his heart, saying, Shall there be a child to one who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarrha who is ninety years old, bear? 19And God said to Abraam, Yea, behold, Sarrha thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to him and to his seed after him. 18:11And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha. 12And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old. 13And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old. 14Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son. 21:1And the Lord visited Sarrha, as he said, and the Lord did to Sarrha, as he spoke. 2And she conceived and bore to Abraam a son in old age, at the set time according as the Lord spoke to him. 4And Abraam circumcised Isaac on the eighth day, as God commanded him. 5And Abraam was a hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him. 6And Sarrha said, The Lord has made laughter for me, for whoever shall hear shall rejoice with me. 7And she said, Who shall say to Abraam that Sarrha suckles a child? for I have born a child in my old age. 8And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraam made a great feast the day that his son Isaac was weaned.
Old Testament (Vespers): Judges 13:2-8, 13-14, 17-18, 21
Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint
2And there was a man of Saraa, of the family of the kindred of Dan, and his name was Manoë, and his wife was barren, and bore not. 3And an angel of the Lord appeared to the woman, and said to her, Behold, thou art barren and hast not born; yet thou shalt conceive a son. 4And now be very cautious, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat no unclean thing; 5for behold, thou art with child, and shalt bring forth a son; and there shall come no razor upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Phylistines. 6And the woman went in, and spoke to her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his appearance was as of an angel of God, very dreadful; and I did not ask him whence he was, and he did not tell me his name. 7And he said to me, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bring forth a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat no unclean thing; for the child shall be holy to God from the womb until the day of his death. 8And Manoë prayed to the Lord and said, I pray thee, O Lord my Lord, concerning the man of God whom thou sentest; let him now come to us once more, and teach us what we shall do to the child about to be born. 13And the angel of the Lord said to Manoë, Of all things concerning which I spoke to the woman, she shall beware. 14She shall eat of nothing that comes of the vine yielding wine, and let her not drink wine or strong liquor, and let her not eat anything unclean: all things that I have charged her she shall observe. 17And Manoë said to the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy word shall come to pass, we may glorify thee? 18And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why dost thou thus ask after my name; whereas it is wonderful? 21And the angel appeared no more to Manoë and to his wife: then Manoë knew that this was an angel of the Lord.
Old Testament (Vespers): Isaiah 40:1-3, 41:17-18, 45:8, 48:20-21, 54:1
Translation: Brenton's English Septuagint
1Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith God. 2Speak, ye priests, to the heart of Jerusalem; comfort her, for her humiliation is accomplished, her sin is put away: for she has received of the Lord's hand double the amount of her sins. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. 41:17And the poor and the needy shall exult; for when they shall seek water, and there shall be none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord God, I the God of Israel will hear, and will not forsake them: 18but I will open rivers on the mountains, and fountains in the midst of plains: I will make the desert pools of water, and a thirsty land watercourses. 45:8Let the heaven rejoice from above, and let the clouds rain righteousness: let the earth bring forth, and blossom with mercy, and bring forth righteousness likewise: I am the Lord that created thee. 48:20Go forth of Babylon, thou that fleest from the Chaldeans: utter aloud a voice of joy, and let this be made known, proclaim it to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath delivered his servant Jacob. 21And if they shall thirst, he shall lead them through the desert; he shall bring forth water to them out of the rock: the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow forth, and my people shall drink. 54:1Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that dost not travail: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that has a husband: for the Lord has said,