Book of Common Prayer
21 I speak in-accordance-with my dishonor[a]— how that we have been weak! But in whatever anyone may dare to boast— I am speaking in foolishness— I also dare. 22 Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I speak being distraught[b], I more— in far-more labors, in far-more prisons, in many-more beatings, in deaths[c] often.
But I Will Boast In The Things Pertaining To My Weakness
24 By Jews five-times I received forty lashes less one. 25 Three-times I was beaten-with-rods. Once I was stoned. Three-times I was shipwrecked. I have done a night-and-day in the deep. 26 On journeys often— in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my nation[d], in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false-brothers. 27 In labor and hardship, in watchings[e] often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Apart from the external[f] things, there is the daily pressure[g] on me, the concern for all the churches— 29 who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused-to-fall, and I do not burn[h]? 30 If it-is-necessary[i] to boast, I will boast the things of my weakness! 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the One being blessed[j] forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus, the ethnarch[k] of Aretas[l] the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes to seize me. 33 And I was lowered in a basket through a window through the wall and escaped his hands.
24 No one can be serving[a] two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted-to one and disregard[b] the other. You cannot be serving God and wealth[c].
Don’t Be Anxious About Your Earthly Life. Seek God’s Kingdom And Righteousness
25 “For this reason I say to you— do not be anxious[d] for your life as to what you may eat or what you may drink, nor for your body as to what you may put-on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the heaven— that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. And your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? 27 And which of you while being anxious is able to add one cubit[e] upon his life-span? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe-closely the lilies of the field, how they grow— they do not labor nor spin. 29 But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God dresses in this manner the grass of the field existing today and being thrown into an oven tomorrow, will He not by much more care for you— ones of-little-faith? 31 Therefore, do not be anxious[f], saying, ‘What may we eat?’ or ‘What may we drink?’ or ‘What may we put-on?’ 32 For the Gentiles are seeking-after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. 33 But be seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is the trouble[g] of it.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing