Book of Common Prayer

Divided loyalties

³² I want you to be free from worries. The unmarried man worries about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; ³³ but the married man worries about the things of the world, in other words, how to please his wife— ³⁴ and he is pulled in both directions. So too the unmarried woman or girl worries about the things of the Lord, how to be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman worries about the things of the world, in other words, how to please her husband.

³⁵ I’m saying this for your own benefit. I’m not placing restrictions on you; my aim is that nothing will get in the way of your appropriate behavior and steady devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly towards his fiancée—if he finds the situation overly stressful, and matters reach a point of necessity—then let him do as he wishes, he won’t be sinning: let them marry. ³⁷ But the man who settles it firmly in his heart and is not under necessity, but in control of his own will, and has made his judgment in his own heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. ³⁸ So the one who marries his fiancée will do well; and the one who holds back from marrying will do better.

³⁹ A woman is bound in marriage as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies she is free to marry anyone she likes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think I too have the spirit of God.

A prophet in his own town

6 Jesus went away from there, and came to his home region. His disciples followed him. ² On the sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue. When they heard him, lots of people were astonished.

“Where does he get it all from?” they said. “What’s this wisdom he’s been given? How does he get this kind of power in his hands? ³ Isn’t he the builder, Mary’s son? Isn’t he the brother of James, Joses, Judah and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” They took offense at him.

⁴ “Prophets have honor everywhere,” said Jesus, “except in their own country, their own family, and their own home.”

⁵ He couldn’t do anything remarkable there, except that he laid hands on a few sick people and cured them. ⁶ Their unbelief dumbfounded him.

He went round the villages, teaching.

The Twelve sent out

⁷ Jesus called the Twelve, and began to send them out in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits. ⁸ These were his instructions: they were not to take anything for the road, just one staff; no bread, no bag, no cash in the belt; ⁹ to wear sandals, and not to wear a second tunic.

¹⁰ “Whenever you go into a house,” he told them, “stay there until you leave the district. ¹¹ If any place doesn’t welcome you, or won’t listen to you, go away and wipe the dust from your feet as evidence against them.”

¹² They went off and announced that people should repent. ¹³ They cast out several demons; and they anointed many sick people with oil, and cured them.