Book of Common Prayer

³² I want your minds to be free. The man who is not married thinks about the things of the Lord. He tries to please the Lord.

³³ But the man who is married thinks about the things of this world. He tries to please his wife.

³⁴ In the same way, there is a difference between the woman who is married and the one who is not. The woman who is not married thinks about the things of the Lord. She wants her body and her spirit to be holy. But the married woman thinks about the things of this life. She tries to please her husband.

³⁵ I say this to help you, not to make it hard for you. I want to show you what is good. I do not want anything to stop you from serving the Lord.

³⁶ And if a man feels that he is doing the right thing for the woman he is to marry, then let him marry her. That is, if she is no longer young, and if he wants her very much. Then he must do as he thinks best. It is not wrong for him to do it.

³⁷ But the man who has made up his mind not to marry his woman will do well. That is, if he does not have to marry her, and is able to control himself, and if he is sure about it in his own mind.

³⁸ So the man who marries his woman will do what is good. But the man who does not marry her will do better.

³⁹ A wife may not leave her husband as long as he is living. But if he dies, she is free to marry any man she wants. Only this, he must be a Christian.

⁴⁰ But I think that she is happier if she stays as she is and does not marry again. (I think too that I am saying what the Spirit of God wants me to say in this matter.)

7 Do not judge others, then you will not be judged.

² The way you judge others, that is the way you will be judged. How much you give to others is how much will be given to you.

³ `Why do you look at the spot of dust in your brother's eye? But you do not see a big stick in your own eye!

⁴ Why do you say to your brother, "Let me take the dust out of your eye"? And all the time you have that stick in your own eye!

⁵ You are not true to yourselves! First take the stick out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see to take the dust out of your brother's eye.

⁶ `Do not give what is holy to dogs. Do not throw your fine stones to pigs. They will walk all over them, and then turn and hurt you.'

⁷ `Ask, and you will get what you ask for. Look, and you will find what you look for. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.

⁸ Everyone who asks will get. The one who looks will find. And the one who knocks will have the door opened for him.

⁹ `If your son asks for bread, will any of you give him a stone?

¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will you give him a snake?

¹¹ You are wrong, and yet you know how to give good things to your children. Much more, your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him.

¹² `Do to other people what you want them to do to you. That is what the law and the writings of the prophets say.'