Book of Common Prayer

²¹ I speak by way of rebuke. As if we were weak!

However, in any point a man dares to presume (I speak foolishly), I dare to presume also: ²² they are Hebrews; so am I. They are Israelites; so am I. They are the seed of Abraham; so am I. ²³ They are the ministers of Christ (I speak like a fool); I am more so: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequently, in death often.

²⁴ Five times from the Jews I received every time forty stripes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. I was once stoned. I suffered shipwreck three times. Night and day I have been in the deep of the sea, ²⁶ often journeying, in danger in rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own nation, in danger among the heathen. I have been in danger in cities, in danger in the countryside, in danger on the sea, in danger among false brethren, ²⁷ in labour and travail, in sleepless nights often, in hunger, in thirst – going without food often, in cold and without clothing. ²⁸ And besides the things that outwardly happen to me, I am daily concerned and do care for all the congregations. ²⁹ Who is sick, and I am not sick? Who is hurt in the faith and my heart does not burn? ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of my afflictions. ³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not speak untruly.

³² In the city of Damascus, the governor of the people under king Aretas laid watch in the city of the Damascenes, and would have captured me. ³³ But at a window I was let down in a basket through the wall, and so escaped his hands.

²⁴ No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will lean to the one and neglect the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon. ²⁵ Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor yet for your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Behold the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they?

²⁷ Which of you, though he took thought for it, could add one cubit to his stature? ²⁸ Why worry then about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not labour or spin. ²⁹ And yet for all that, I say to you that even Solomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Therefore if God so clothes the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow will be cast into the furnace, will he not much more do the same for you, O ye of little faith?

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What will we eat? or, What will we drink? or, How will we be clothed? ³² After all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. ³³ But rather seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all these things will be ministered unto you.

³⁴ Care not then for the morrow, but let the morrow care for itself. For the present day has ever enough of its own trouble.