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18, Amshir 1742 (Wednesday, 25 February 2026)

Wednesday of the Second week of the Holy Lent

Matins

Prophecy

Exodus 2:11-20

11Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.12So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.13And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, Why are you striking your companion?14Then he said, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? So Moses feared and said, Surely this thing is known!15When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.17Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.18When they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you have come so soon today?19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.20So he said to his daughters, And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.

Prophecy

Isaiah 5:17-25

17Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, And in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat.18Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, And sin as if with a cart rope;19That say, Let Him make speed and hasten His work, That we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, That we may know it.20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!22Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,23Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!24Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.25Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

Prophecy

Malachi 1:6 - 3:6

6A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, `In what way have we despised Your name?'7You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, `In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, `The table of the Lord is contemptible.'8And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts.9But now entreat God's favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts.10Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you, Says the Lord of hosts, Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.11For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations, Says the Lord of hosts.12But you profane it, In that you say, `The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.'13You also say, `Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it, Says the Lord of hosts. And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand? Says the Lord.14But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished--For I am a great King, Says the Lord of hosts, And My name is to be feared among the nations.1And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.2If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name, Says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart.3Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces, The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it.4Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue, Says the Lord of hosts.5My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name.6The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.7For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.8But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, Says the Lord of hosts.9Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base Before all the people, Because you have not kept My ways But have shown partiality in the law.10Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?11Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The Lord's holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.12May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob The man who does this, being awake and aware, Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!13And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, With weeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.14Yet you say, For what reason? Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.15But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.16For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence, Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.17You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, In what way have we wearied Him? In that you say, Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them, Or, Where is the God of justice?1Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, Says the Lord of hosts.2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap.3He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the Lord, As in the days of old, As in former years.5And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien--Because they do not fear Me, Says the Lord of hosts.6For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

Psalm

Psalms 18:17-18

17For they were too strong for me.18They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.

Gospel

Matthew 5:17-24

17Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.19Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.21You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'22But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, `Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, `You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.23Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Liturgy

Pauline

Romans 3:1-17

1What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?2Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.3For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?4Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)6Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?7For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?8And why not say, Let us do evil that good may come?--as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.10As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;11There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.12They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.13Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips;14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.15Their feet are swift to shed blood;16Destruction and misery are in their ways;17And the way of peace they have not known.

Catholic

2 John 1:8-13

8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.9Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.12Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.13The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

Acts

Acts 5:3-11

3But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?4While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.5Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.6And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.7Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8And Peter answered her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? She said, Yes, for so much.9Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.10Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.11So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Psalm

Psalms 18:1-2

1I will love You, O Lord, my strength.2The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust

Gospel

Matthew 15:32-38

32Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.33Then His disciples said to Him, Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?34Jesus said to them, How many loaves do you have? And they said, Seven, and a few little fish.35So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.36And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.37So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.38Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.