Book of Common Prayer

¹⁷ The elders who lead well are worthy of double honour, most especially those who labour in the word and teaching. ¹⁸ For the scripture says: You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn, and: The labourer is worthy of his reward.

¹⁹ Against an elder receive no accusation except with two or three witnesses. ²⁰ Those who sin, rebuke openly, so that others may fear.

²¹ I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, to observe these things without hasty judgment, and do nothing with partiality. ²² Lay hands quickly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins; keep yourself pure.

²³ Drink water no longer, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent ailments.

²⁴ Some people’s sins are open beforehand, and go before to judgment; some people’s sins follow after. ²⁵ Likewise also, good works are manifest beforehand, and those that are otherwise cannot be hid.

Jesus eats with the Pharisee, heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath, teaches to be lowly, tells of the great supper, and warns people who would follow him to first determine what it will cost them. The salt of the earth.

14 And it happened that he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on a Sabbath day, and they were watching him. ² And there was before him a man who had the dropsy. ³ And Jesus addressed the wise men of law and the Pharisees, asking, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? ⁴ But they held their peace. And he took the man and healed him, and let him go. ⁵ And he spoke to them, saying, Which of you, having a donkey or an ox fallen into a pit, would not straightaway pull him out on the Sabbath day? ⁶ And they could not answer him in reply to that.

⁷ He put forth a similitude to the guests, when he observed how they sought out the seats of honour, and said to them, ⁸ When you are invited to a wedding by anyone, do not sit down in the highest place, lest a more honourable man than you be bidden by him, ⁹ and he who invited both him and you come and say to you, Make place for this man – and you then begin with shame to take the lowest seat. ¹⁰ But rather, when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest seat, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, Friend, sit up higher. Then you will have honour in the presence of those who sit at food with you. ¹¹ For whoever exalts himself will be brought low, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.