Book of Common Prayer

¹⁰ If Timothy comes to you, be good to him, so that his heart will not be troubled while he is with you. He is working for the Lord, just as I am.

¹¹ So no one should despise him. But send him off with joy when he comes back to me. I will look for him to come with the other brothers.

¹² Now about our brother Apollos. I have asked him many times to visit you with the others. But he does not want to come now. He will come when he has the time.

¹³ Be awake! Stand strong in what you believe. Show that you are men. Be strong.

¹⁴ Do everything with love.

¹⁵ You know that Stephanas and his family were the first people in the country of Greece to believe the good news. They have made up their minds to help God's people always.

¹⁶ So, my brothers, I ask you to obey men like that. And join happily with all others who are helpers and workers.

¹⁷ I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. They have made up for your not being here.

¹⁸ They have made me happy and you also. Show that you know the value of such men.

¹⁹ The people in the churches of Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla and the Christians who meet in their house send you many Christian greetings.

²⁰ All the Christian brothers send you greetings. Greet each other with a holy kiss.

²¹ And I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.

²² Anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, should be cut off from God. Come soon, Lord!

²³ May the Lord Jesus bless you.

²⁴ I send my Christian love to you all.

²² Then the people brought a man to Jesus. The man had a bad spirit in him. He was blind and could not talk. Jesus healed him. Then the man could talk and see.

²³ All the people were surprised. They said, `Is he David's son?'

²⁴ The Pharisees heard about it. They said, `This man drives out bad spirits by the help of Beelzebub, the chief of bad spirits.'

²⁵ Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, `If one part of any country fights against the other part of the country, that country is broken down. If one part of any city or family fights against the other part of it, it cannot stand.

²⁶ If Satan drives out Satan, he fights against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

²⁷ If I drive out bad spirits by Beelzebub, how do your own people drive them out? Let them judge you.

²⁸ But if I drive out bad spirits by God's Spirit, then God's kingdom is here with you now.

²⁹ `If anyone wants to go into a strong man's house and steal his things, he must first tie the strong man. Then he can steal his things.

³⁰ `Anyone who is not with me, is against me. Anyone who does not work with me is working against me.

³¹ `That is why I tell you this. All wrong things that people do or say, will be forgiven. But people who say wrong things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.

³² Anyone who says anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who says anything against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. He will not be forgiven in this world or in the next world.'