Book of Common Prayer
The Messiah, living within you
24 Right now I’m having a celebration—a celebration of my sufferings, which are for your benefit! And I’m steadily completing, in my own flesh, what is presently lacking in the Messiah’s afflictions on behalf of his body, which is the church. 25 I became the church’s servant, according to the terms laid down by God when he gave me my commission on your behalf, the commission to fulfill God’s word.
26 This word declares the mystery that was kept secret from past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to God’s holy people. 27 God’s intention was to make known to them just what rich glory this mystery contains, out there among the nations. And this is the key: the Messiah, living within you as the hope of glory!
28 He is the one we are proclaiming. We are instructing everybody and teaching everybody in every kind of wisdom, so that we can present everybody grown up, complete, in the Messiah. 29 That’s what I am working for, struggling with all his energy which is powerfully at work within me.
God’s hidden treasure—Messiah Jesus!
2 You see, I’d like you to know just what a struggle I am having on behalf of yourselves, and the family in Laodicea, and all the people who don’t know me by sight. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged as they’re brought together in love. I want them to experience all the wealth of definite understanding, and to come to the knowledge of God’s mystery—the Messiah! 3 He is the place where you’ll find all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I’m saying this so that nobody will deceive you with plausible words. 5 Though I’m away from you in person, you see, I am present with you in the spirit, and I’m celebrating as I keep an eye on your good order, and the solidity of your faith in the Messiah.
6 So, then, just as you received Messiah Jesus the Lord, you must continue your journey in him. 7 You must put down healthy roots in him, being built up brick by brick in him, and established strongly in the faith, just as you were taught, with overflowing thankfulness.
Loving your enemies
27 “But this is my word,” Jesus continued, “for those of you who are listening: love your enemies! Do good to people who hate you! 28 Bless people who curse you! Pray for people who treat you badly!
29 “If someone hits you on the cheek—offer him the other one! If someone takes away your coat—don’t stop him taking your shirt! 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask for things back when people have taken them.
31 “Whatever you want people to do to you, do that to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Think about it: even sinners love people who love them. 33 Or again, if you do good only to people who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Sinners do that too. 34 If you lend only to people you expect to get things back from, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to get paid back. 35 No: love your enemies, do good and lend without expecting any return. Your reward will be great! You will be children of the Highest! He is generous, you see, to the stingy and wicked. 36 You must be merciful, just as your father is merciful.
37 “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: a good helping, squashed down, shaken in, and overflowing—that’s what will land in your lap. Yes: the ration you give to others is the ration you’ll get back for yourself.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.