Book of Common Prayer

4 I say this before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge people who are living and people who are dead. I say this to you because he will come back and rule over all.

² Tell people the word of God. Be ready to do it at any time. Show people they are wrong and talk to them about it. Tell them what they should do. Be very patient with them and teach them in many ways.

³ The time is coming when people will not listen to good teaching. They will want to listen to the things they like to hear. And they will bring in many teachers who will teach them just what they want to do.

⁴ They will not listen to what is true, but will turn away and listen to strange stories.

⁵ But you, Timothy, must always be watching. Be patient in your troubles. Tell the good news. Do all the work God has given you to do.

⁶ My life is already being poured out as an offering to God. The time is here for me to leave this life.

⁷ I have fought the kind of fight that is good. I have reached the mark on the road that God wanted me to reach. And I have kept on believing in him.

⁸ From now on, my reward is waiting for me, because I have done what is right. The Lord will repay me on the day when he comes back. He judges the right way. I will not be the only one to get a reward from him. But he will repay all those who want very much to see him.

12 Six days before the Passover Feast Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus lived. This was the Lazarus that Jesus had raised from death.

² The people made supper for Jesus. Martha helped give food for the people, and Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Jesus.

³ Mary had a jar of oil. It smelled very nice and cost much money. She put some of it on Jesus' feet. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. The smell of oil went all through the house.

⁴ Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, was there. He was one of the disciples, the one who was going to give Jesus over to the people who hated him.

⁵ He said, `This oil is worth a year's wages! Why did we not sell it and give the money to poor people?'

⁶ Judas did not say this because he cared for poor people. But he used to steal. He carried the disciples' money bag and he used to take money out of the bag for himself.

⁷ Then Jesus said, `Leave her alone. She has kept this oil for the time when they will bury me.

⁸ You will have poor people with you always. But you will not always have me with you.'