First Reading

Reading from the second Book of Kings

2 Kings 19, 9-11. 14-21. 31-35. 36

In those days, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent messengers to say to Hezekiah: “Tell Hezekiah, king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by thinking that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria. You know well that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations, and do you think you alone will escape from me?’ ”

Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went to the temple, and unrolling the letter before the Lord, he prayed this prayer:

“Lord, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made the heavens and the earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and listen; open your eyes, O Lord, and see. Hear the words with which Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God. It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and delivered their gods to the fire, for they were not gods, but mere objects of wood and stone, made by human hands, and so they have been destroyed. But you, Lord our God, save us from his hand, so that all the nations may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”

Then the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent word to Hezekiah: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I have heard your prayer.’ This is the word the Lord speaks against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:

‘The virgin daughter Zion despises you and mocks you;
behind your back the daughter of Jerusalem laughs at you.

From Jerusalem a remnant shall go forth,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.’

Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He shall not enter this city.
He shall not shoot an arrow at it.
He shall not come before it with a shield
nor build a siege ramp against it.
By the way he came he shall return.
He shall not enter this city,’ says the Lord.
‘I will shield and save it
for my own sake and for the sake of David, my servant.’ ”

That same night the angel of the Lord went forth and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people arose the next morning, they saw all the corpses. Then Sennacherib, king of Assyria, broke camp, departed, and returned to Nineveh.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 7, 6. 12-14

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and tear you to pieces.

Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But how narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few!”