Book of Common Prayer

The battle of faith

¹⁸ I am giving you this command, Timothy my child, in accordance with the prophecies which were made about you before, so that, as they said, you may fight the glorious battle, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected conscience, and their faith has been shipwrecked. ²⁰ I include Hymenaeus and Alexander in that category. Indeed, I have handed them over to the satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

The first rule: prayer for the world

2 So, then, this is my very first command: God’s people should make petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings on behalf of all people— ² on behalf of kings, and all who hold high office, so that we may lead a tranquil and peaceful life, in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good; it is acceptable with God our savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth. ⁵ For, you see,

⁷ This is why I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I’m speaking the truth, I’m not lying!), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Women must be allowed to be learners

⁸ So this is what I want: the men should pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, with no anger or disputing.

Jesus cleanses the Temple

¹² The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ From some distance away he saw a fig tree covered with leaves, and hoped to find some fruit on it; but when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.)

¹⁴ He addressed the tree directly. “May no one ever eat fruit from you again,” he said. And his disciples heard.

¹⁵ They came into Jerusalem. Jesus went into the Temple and began to drive out the traders, those who bought and sold in the Temple, and overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of the dove-sellers. ¹⁶ He permitted no one to carry any vessel through the Temple. ¹⁷ He began to teach: “Isn’t this what’s written,” he said,

“But you’ve made it a brigands’ den!”

¹⁸ The chief priests and the legal experts heard, and looked for a way to get rid of him. But they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.

¹⁹ When evening came, they went back out of the city.

²⁰ As they were returning, early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots.

²¹ “Look, Teacher!” said Peter to Jesus, remembering what had happened before. “The fig tree you cursed has withered.”

²² “Have faith in God,” replied Jesus. ²³ “I’m telling you the truth: if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be off with you—get yourself thrown into the sea,’ if they have no doubt in their heart, but believe that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴ That’s why I’m telling you, everything that you request in prayer, everything you ask God for, believe that you receive it, and it will happen for you.

²⁵ “And when you are standing there praying, if you have something against someone else, forgive them—so that your father in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”