First Reading

Reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 2, 8-15

Beloved brother:

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, born of the line of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer even to the point of chains, like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained.

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they too may attain salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus.

This saying is trustworthy:
For if we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
if we persevere, we shall also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

Remind people of these things and charge them before God to stop disputing about words. This serves no purpose and only harms the listeners.

Strive to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no reason to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint John

John 6, 51-58

At that time, Jesus said to the Jews: «I am the living bread that has come down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.»

Then the Jews began to argue among themselves: «How can this man give us his flesh to eat?»

Jesus said to them: «Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.»