Holy Gospel: Mark 6:7-13
7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts-9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
First Reading: Isaiah 42:5-12 (ESV)
5 Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and
stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what
comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it:
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in
righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep
you;
I will give you as a covenant for the
people,
a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the
dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in
darkness.
8 I am the LORD; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
9 Behold, the former things have come to
pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them."
10 Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all
that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.
11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their
voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the top of the
mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the LORD,
and declare his praise in the
coastlands.
Epistle: Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3 (ESV)
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabus to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabus went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27 Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabus and Saul.
13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabus, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabus and for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
