Book of Common Prayer
In praise of Jesus Christ
15 He is the image of God, the invisible one, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For in him all things were created,
in the heavens and here on the earth.
Things we can see and things we cannot,
—thrones and lordships and rulers and powers—
all things were created both through him and for him.
17 And he is ahead, prior to all else
and in him all things hold together;
18 and he himself is supreme, the head
over the body, the church.
He is the start of it all,
firstborn from realms of the dead;
so in all things he might be the chief.
19 For in him all the Fullness was glad to dwell
20 and through him to reconcile all to himself,
making peace through the blood of his cross,
through him—yes, things on the earth,
and also the things in the heavens.
Reconciled and firm in faith
21 So what about you? Well, there was a time when you were excluded! You were enemies in your thinking, and in wicked behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you in the body of his flesh, through death, in order to bring you into his presence holy, blameless and without any accusation.
23 This assumes, of course, that you keep firmly on in the faith—by which I mean, solid on your foundations, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard. This gospel, after all, has been announced in all creation under heaven! And this is the gospel of which I, Paul, became a servant.
The Beatitudes
12 It happened around that time that Jesus went up into the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples, and chose twelve of them, calling them “apostles”: 14 Simon, whom he called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called “the hothead,” 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who turned traitor.
17 He went down with them, and took up a position on a level plain where there was a large crowd of his followers, with a huge company of people from all Judaea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They came to hear him, and to be cured from their diseases. Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were healed, 19 and the whole crowd tried to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing everybody.
20 He lifted up his eyes and looked at his disciples, and said:
“Blessings on the poor: God’s kingdom belongs to you!
21 “Blessings on those who are hungry today: you’ll have a feast!
“Blessings on those who weep today: you’ll be laughing!
22 “Blessings on you, when people hate you, and shut you out, when they slander you and reject your name as if it was evil, because of the son of man. 23 Celebrate on that day! Jump for joy! Don’t you see: in heaven there is a great reward for you! That’s what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24 “But woe betide you rich: you’ve had your comfort!
25 “Woe betide you if you’re full today: you’ll go hungry!
“Woe betide you if you’re laughing today: you’ll be mourning and weeping!
26 “Woe betide you when everyone speaks well of you: that’s what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.