Book of Common Prayer

Divided loyalties

³² I want you to be free from worries. The unmarried man worries about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; ³³ but the married man worries about the things of the world, in other words, how to please his wife— ³⁴ and he is pulled in both directions. So too the unmarried woman or girl worries about the things of the Lord, how to be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman worries about the things of the world, in other words, how to please her husband.

³⁵ I’m saying this for your own benefit. I’m not placing restrictions on you; my aim is that nothing will get in the way of your appropriate behavior and steady devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly towards his fiancée—if he finds the situation overly stressful, and matters reach a point of necessity—then let him do as he wishes, he won’t be sinning: let them marry. ³⁷ But the man who settles it firmly in his heart and is not under necessity, but in control of his own will, and has made his judgment in his own heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. ³⁸ So the one who marries his fiancée will do well; and the one who holds back from marrying will do better.

³⁹ A woman is bound in marriage as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies she is free to marry anyone she likes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think I too have the spirit of God.

On judging others

7 “Don’t judge people, and you won’t be judged yourself. ² You’ll be judged, you see, by the judgment you use to judge others! You’ll be measured by the measuring-rod you use to measure others! ³ Why do you stare at the splinter in your neighbor’s eye, but ignore the plank in your own? ⁴ How can you say to your neighbor, ‘Here—let me get that splinter out of your eye,’ when you’ve got the plank in your own? ⁵ You’re just play-acting! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your neighbor’s eye.

⁶ “Don’t give holy things to dogs. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they will trample them under their feet—and then turn round and attack you!”

On prayer

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you! Search and you will find! Knock and the door will be opened for you! ⁸ Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. ⁹ Don’t you see? Supposing your son asks you for bread—which of you is going to give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish—which of you is going to give him a serpent? ¹¹ Well then: you may be evil, but you still know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more will your father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

¹² “So whatever you want people to do to you, do just that to them. Yes; this is what the law and the prophets are all about.”