## [Sunday before the Nativity - 21 December](
Sunday before the Nativity
The Sunday before the Nativity of Christ we commemorate Adam and Eve (the first-created), the righteous Abel, son of Adam, the righteous Seth, son ...
)
🎶troparion🎶
Great are the accomplishments of faith,
for the Three Holy Youths rejoiced in the source of the flame, as if by restful waters,
and the Prophet Daniel appeared
as a shepherd of lions as of sheep.
By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
🎶kontakion🎶
You would not worship an image made by hands, O thrice-blessed youths;
but shielded by the ineffable Essence, you were glorified through your ordeal by fire.
In the midst of the unbearable fire you called upon God, crying:
"Hasten, O compassionate One,
and in Your mercy come to our aid,
for if You will, You can do so."
Be glad, O Bethlehem! Prepare yourself, O Ephratha;
for the Lamb is on her way to give birth to the Great Shepherd she carries in her womb.
The God-bearing Fathers will rejoice, beholding Him,
and with the shepherds, they will praise the Virgin who nurses Him.
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# [Scripture Readings for Friday, 19 December 2025 (OCA)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/19)
## [Epistle reading for the 28th Friday after Pentecost (Titus 1:15-2:10)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/19/1)
>To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things – that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
## [Gospel reading for the 13th Friday of Luke (Mark 9:33-41)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/19/2)
>Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
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# [Scripture Readings for Thursday, 18 December 2025 (OCA)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/18)
## [Epistle reading for the 28th Thursday after Pentecost (Titus 1:5-2:1)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/18/1)
>For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you – if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
## [Gospel reading for the 13th Thursday of Luke (Mark 9:10-16)](oca.org/readings/daily/2025/12/18/2)
>So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.” And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
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