Book of Common Prayer
Disturbing prophecies
21 When we had left them behind and had set sail, we made a straight course to Cos, and went on the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 There we found a ship heading for Phoenicia, and we got on board and set sail. 3 We came in sight of Cyprus, passed it on our left side, sailed to Syria and arrived in Tyre, which was where the boat was going to unload its cargo. 4 We found some disciples and stayed there a week—and they told Paul, by the spirit, not to go to Jerusalem. 5 When our time there was up, we left and went on our way, with everyone, women and children included, coming with us out of the city. We knelt down on the seashore and prayed. 6 Then we said our farewells to one another. We got on the ship and they returned home.
7 The end of our voyage from Tyre saw us arrive at Ptolemais. There we greeted the Christians, and stayed a day with them. 8 On the next day we left and went on to Caesarea, and went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we’d been there several days, Agabus the prophet arrived from Jerusalem. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s girdle, and tied himself up with it, hand and foot.
“This is what the holy spirit says,” he declared. “The Judaeans in Jerusalem will tie up the man to whom this girdle belongs, just like this, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.”
12 When we heard that, we and the people of that place begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul responded.
“What are you doing with all this weeping,” he said, “breaking my heart in pieces? I am quite prepared not only to be tied up but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
14 When we realized we couldn’t dissuade him, we gave up the attempt.
“May the Lord’s will be done,” was all we said.
Teachings on divorce
10 Jesus left the region, and went to the districts of Judaea across the Jordan. A large crowd gathered around him, and once more, as his custom was, he taught them.
2 Some Pharisees approached him with a question. “Is it permitted,” they asked, “for a man to divorce his wife?” They said this to trap him.
3 “Well,” answered Jesus, “what did Moses command you?”
4 “Moses permitted us,” they replied, “to write a notice of separation and so to complete the divorce.”
5 “He gave you that command,” said Jesus, “because you are hardhearted. 6 But from the beginning of creation
male and female he made them; 7 and that’s why the man must leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife; 8 so that the two become one flesh.
“There you are, then: they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What God has joined, humans must not split up.”
10 When they were back indoors, the disciples asked him about this.
11 “Anyone who divorces his wife,” said Jesus, “and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries someone else she commits adultery.”
13 People brought children to Jesus for him to touch them. The disciples reprimanded them. 14 But Jesus was angry when he saw it, and said to them, “Let the children come to me! Don’t stop them! The kingdom of God belongs to people like that. 15 I’m telling you the truth: anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a child will never get into it.”
16 And he hugged them, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.