The Second Letter from Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 1: 1-5, 11-12
| 1:1 | Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 1:2 | Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 1:3 | We ought to give thanks always to God for you, brothers, in a fitting manner, because your faith is increasing greatly, and because the charity of each of you toward one another is abundant, |
| 1:4 | so much so that we ourselves even glory in you among the churches of God, because of your patience and faith in all of your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, |
| 1:5 | which are a sign of the just judgment of God, so that you may be held worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. |
| 1:11 | Because of this, too, we pray always for you, so that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may complete every act of his goodness, as well as his work of faith in virtue, |
| 1:12 | in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. |
Gospel
Matthew 16: 13-20
16:13 Then Jesus went into parts of Caesarea Philippi. And he questioned his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?”
16:14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
16:15 Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16:16 Simon Peter responded by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
16:17 And in response, Jesus said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven.
16:18 And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.
16:19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, even in heaven. And whatever you shall release on earth shall be released, even in heaven.”
16:20 Then he instructed his disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ.