Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Seeing, then, that we have the same spirit of faith as is written of – I believed, and therefore I have spoken – we also believe, and therefore speak. ¹⁴ For we know that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up also by the means of Jesus, and will set us with you. ¹⁵ For I do all things for your sakes, so that the abundant grace, through thanks given by many, may redound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ And so we are not wearied, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our exceeding tribulation, which is momentary and light, prepares an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory for us, ¹⁸ while we look not on the things that are seen, but on the things which are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal.

The reward for suffering trouble.

5 We know surely that if our earthly abode, the tabernacle we now dwell in, were destroyed, we have an abode prepared by God: a habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven. ² And for this we sigh, desiring to be clothed with our dwelling which is from heaven – ³ if yet we be found clothed, and not naked. ⁴ For as long as we are in this tabernacle, we sigh and are grieved. For we would not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

⁵ He who has ordained us for this thing is God, the very same who has given to us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶ Therefore we are always of good cheer. And we know well that as long as we are at home in the body, we are away from God. ⁷ For we walk in faith, and see not. ⁸ Nevertheless, we are of good comfort – and yet would rather be away from the body, and be present with the Lord.

⁹ And so whether we are at home or away from home, we endeavour to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that every person may receive the works of his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.

¹⁹ There was a certain rich man that was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared deliciously every day. ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who lay at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ longing to be relieved of hunger with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Nevertheless, the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ and being in hell, in torments, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am tormented in this flame.

²⁵ But Abraham said to him, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your pleasure, and contrariwise Lazarus pain. Now therefore he is comforted, and you are punished. ²⁶ Beyond all this, between all you and us there is a great space set, so that those who would desire to go from here to you cannot, and none may come from there to us.

²⁷ Then he said, I pray you therefore, Father, send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brethren, to warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

²⁹ Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

³⁰ And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one came to them from the dead, they would repent.

³¹ He said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe though one rose from death again.