Book of Common Prayer

2 So put away all evil, all deceitful, hateful malice, and all ill-speaking. ² As newborn babies, long for the spiritual milk, the real stuff, not watered down. That is what will make you grow up to salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The living stone

⁴ Come to him, to that living stone. Humans rejected him, but God chose him and values him very highly! ⁵ Like living stones yourselves, you are being built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that will be well pleasing to God through Jesus the Messiah.

⁶ That’s why it stands in scripture:

⁷ He is indeed precious for you believers. But when people don’t believe, “the stone which the builders rejected has become the head cornerstone,” ⁸ and “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble as they disobey the word, which indeed was their destiny. ⁹ But you are a “chosen race; a royal priesthood”; a holy nation; a people for God’s possession. Your purpose is to announce the virtuous deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. ¹⁰ Once you were “no people”; now you are “God’s people.” Once you had not received mercy; now you have received mercy.

The first and the last

²³ Jesus said to his disciples, “I’m telling you the truth: it’s very hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Let me say it again: it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”

²⁵ The disciples were completely flabbergasted when they heard that. “So who then can be saved?” they asked.

²⁶ Jesus looked round at them. “Humanly speaking,” he replied, “it’s impossible. But everything’s possible with God.”

²⁷ Then Peter spoke up. “Look here,” he said, “we’ve left everything behind and followed you. What can we expect?”

²⁸ “I’m telling you the truth,” Jesus replied. “In God’s great new world, when the son of man sits on his glorious throne, those of you who have followed me will sit on twelve thrones—yes, you!—and rule over the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And anyone who’s left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or estates because of my name will get back a hundred times over, and will inherit the life of that new age. ³⁰ But many at the front will find themselves at the back, and the back ones at the front.”