Readings and saints

Thursday, November 27, 2025

November 14 on the Old Calendar

Greatmartyr Jacob of Persia

Thursday of the 25th week after Pentecost

Great Martyr

James the Persian

Fasting: Wine and oil are allowed (Nativity Fast): no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs.Your priest can tell you how to keep the fast.
Tone: Tone 7This week’s Resurrection hymns are sung in the seventh of the Church’s eight tones.

The readings

TranslationTraditionalModernSide by side

Traditional: the King James Version (1611) for the New Testament. Underlined words are explained in Words of Prayer.

Modern: the World English Bible for the New Testament. Your choice is remembered on this device.

Epistle

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

Traditional

¹³But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: ¹⁴Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, ¹⁷Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

¹Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: ²And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. ⁴And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. ⁵And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Modern

¹³But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

¹Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, ²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

Gospel

Luke 18:31-34

Traditional

³¹Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. ³²For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: ³³And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. ³⁴And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Modern

³¹He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. ³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. ³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” ³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

Remembered on this day

James the Persian

James, also called Jacob, was a Christian in the Persian Empire in the early fifth century. Tradition tells how he abandoned his faith to keep the king’s favor, then returned to Christ after his mother and wife challenged him. The Church remembers his repentance as well as his courage. His life reminds us that a terrible failure need not be the end of our faith.

How he died
Tradition holds that he was martyred by having his limbs cut off and was then beheaded.

James the Persian: the full page

Also remembered today: James the Wonderworker, Bishop of Rostov; Repose of Archimandrite Lazarus (Moore) (1992) (Nov. 14 OC).

Calendar: Orthocal, following the Revised Julian (New) Calendar of the Orthodox Church in America. Parishes on the Old Calendar keep each day 13 days later. Check your own parish calendar.