Wednesday 14th January 2026
Fast day: strict fast
Leavetaking of The Theophany
Today we commemorate:
The Holy Fathers slain at Sinai and Raithu (5th C). St. Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia (355). St. Sava (Sabbas) I, enlightener, and 1st archbishop, of Serbia (1237). Virgin-martyr Agnes (304). St. Theodulus, son of St. Nilus of Sinai (5th C).
James 3:11-4:6; Mark 4:35-41
For the Commemoration: Acts 2:38-43; Luke 4:1-15
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
James 3:11-4:6
Brothers and sisters, does a spring run fresh and foul from the same opening? Can a fig tree provide olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine figs? And no spring provides salt water and fresh. Who is wise and intelligent among you? Let them reveal what they do through good conduct with the humility of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast or lie about the truth. That is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is of the earth, physical, demonic. For where there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and everything that is evil. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of compassion and good fruits, impartial and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. What causes the conflicts and quarrels among you? Are they not from your desires that are at war in your members? You want, but you do not have; you kill and you covet, but you cannot get; you quarrel and fight, and you do not have because you do not ask; you ask, and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to squander on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that love of the world is hatred of God? Whoever is minded to be a friend of the world is set on being an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the Spirit living within us yearns with jealousy? It is he who gives the greater grace, and that is why it says, ‘God sets himself against the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
Mark 4:35-41
The Lord said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ They left the crowd and took him on board just as he was, and there were other boats with him. Then a great gale blew up and the waves lashed the boat so that in no time it was being swamped. He himself was aft, asleep on a pillow, and so they woke him and told him, ‘Teacher, does it not matter to you that we are perishing?’ He awoke and rebuked the wind, and he told the sea, ‘Be calm. Be silent.’ Then the wind dropped and there was a great stillness. And he asked them, ‘Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they were awed by a mighty fear, and they said to one another, ‘Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
Acts 2:38-43
In those days Peter said to the people, ‘Repent and let each of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ With many other words he testified and urged them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand souls were added on that day. They continued to devote themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship and the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. Fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were performed through the Apostles.
Luke 4:1-15
At that time Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. For forty days he was tempted by the devil. During those days he ate nothing, and when they came to an end he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ And in reply Jesus told him, ‘It is written, “No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’ Then the devil took him up a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, ‘I shall give you all this power and their glory, for it has been committed to me and I may give it to whom I wish. It will therefore all be yours if you worship me.’ And in reply Jesus said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan, for it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.”’ He then brought him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple. He said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,” and, “They will carry you in their hands so that you do strike your foot against a stone.”’ And in reply Jesus told him, ‘It has been said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’ When every temptation had ended, the devil withdrew from him until an opportune time. Jesus then returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, honoured by all.