Book of Common Prayer

We Are Announcing To You What We Have Personally Witnessed Concerning The Word of Life

1 That-which^[a] was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we looked-at and our hands touched, concerning the word^[b] of life— ² indeed^[c] life^[d] was made-known! And we have seen and are testifying and are announcing to you the eternal life^[e] which was with the Father and was made-known to us!— ³ That-which^[f] we have seen and heard we are announcing also to you so that you also may have fellowship^[g] with us. And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And we are writing these things in order that our joy may be full.

The Message We Heard Is That God Is Light

⁵ And this is the message which we have heard from Him and are declaring to you: that God is light, and there is not any darkness in Him.

If We Walk In The Light And Confess Our Sins, Jesus Cleanses And Forgives Us

⁶ If we claim that we have fellowship with Him and are walking in the darkness, we are lying and not doing the truth. ⁷ But if we are walking in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we claim that we do not have^[h] sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we are confessing^[i] our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim that we have not sinned, we are making Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Jesus Gives Sight To The Blind

²⁷ And while Jesus was passing on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying-out and saying, “Have-mercy-on us, Son of David!” ²⁸ And He having gone into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus says to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They say to Him, “Yes, Master”. ²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done to you according-to^[a] your faith”. ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly-commanded^[b] them, saying, “See that no one knows it ”. ³¹ But the ones, having gone forth, widely-spread [the news about] Him in that whole land.

Jesus Heals The Mute

³² And while they were going forth, behold— they brought to Him a mute man being demon-possessed. ³³ And the demon having been cast-out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “It never was visible^[c] like this in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying, “He is casting out the demons by^[d] the ruler of the demons”.