Book of Common Prayer

¹¹ I am made a fool in going on about myself. You have compelled me. I ought to have been commended by you. For in nothing was I inferior to the chief apostles. Though I am nothing, ¹² yet the signs that mark an apostle were wrought among you with all patience – with miracles, and wonders, and works of power. ¹³ For in what were you less favoured than other congregations? – unless it is in that I was not burdensome to you. Forgive me this wrong done to you! ¹⁴ And now the third time I am ready to come to you, and still I will not be a burden to you. For I seek not yours, but you. Also, the children ought not to lay up for the fathers and mothers, but the fathers and mothers for the children. ¹⁵ I will very gladly give, and will be given, for your souls – though the more I love you, the less I am loved in return.

¹⁶ But granted that I did not impose upon you, nevertheless I was crafty and took you with guile – ¹⁷ Did I rob you through any of the men that I sent to you? ¹⁸ I asked Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus defraud you of anything? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in like steps? ¹⁹ Again, do you think that we are justifying ourselves to you? We speak in Christ, in the sight of God.

But we do all things, dearly beloveds, for your upbuilding. ²⁰ For I fear lest it come to pass that when I come, I will not find you such as I would like, and you will find me such as I would not want. I fear lest there be found among you debate, envying, anger, rivalry, backbiting, whisperings, swelling, and discord. ²¹ I fear that when I come again, God may bring me low among you, and I may be constrained to bewail many of those who have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and wantonness that they have committed.

¹³ Enter in at the strait gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in at it. ¹⁴ But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it. ¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶ You may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor yet can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore, by their fruits you may know them.

²¹ Not all who say to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.