Book of Common Prayer

²⁴ And now, even though I suffer for you, I am happy. There are still some things for Christ to suffer in his body, which is the church. So I am glad to take my share of his suffering in my body.

²⁵ God gave me work to do for the church people so that you might know all of God's message.

²⁶ This message is about the secret plan of God. People who lived in all the past times of the world did not know about this plan. But now it has been told to God's people.

²⁷ He wanted them to know that his plan is very great and wonderful for those who are not Jews. And this plan is that Christ is in you! He is your hope for all the wonderful things that are to come.

²⁸ We tell about him. We tell everyone to be careful to live in the right way. We teach everyone all he needs to know. We do this so that we can bring everyone before God and he will be grown up in the things of Christ.

²⁹ And I am working for this with all the strength that God gives me.

2 I want you to know how much I care for you and those in the city of Laodicea, and even all those who have never seen me.

² I want them to be strong and to love one another. I want them to understand everything. I want them to know in a more perfect way about God's plan, which is Christ.

³ All the wonderful things there are to know about the plan are found in Christ.

⁴ I say this so that no one may lead you the wrong way by their fine words.

⁵ Even though I am not with you in body, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to see that you stand together well and that you keep on believing in Christ.

⁶ You received Christ Jesus the Lord. So live in him.

⁷ Let your heart be planted in him. Grow up in him. Believe with all your heart what you were taught. And be very thankful to God.

¹² Then Jesus talked to the people in the temple. He said, `I am the Light of the world. The one who comes with me will never walk in the dark, but he will have light that gives life.'

¹³ The Pharisees said, `You are talking about yourself. What you say is not true.'

¹⁴ Jesus said to them, `Even if I do talk about myself, what I say is true. I know where I come from and I know where I am going. But you do not know where I came from, or where I am going.

¹⁵ You judge in the way people judge matters. I do not judge any person.

¹⁶ But even if I do judge, I judge right. I am not alone. My Father who sent me is with me.

¹⁷ Even in your law it says that when two people say the same thing, it is true.

¹⁸ I talk about myself, and my Father who sent me talks about me.'

¹⁹ They asked him, `Where is your Father?' He said, `You do not know me and you do not know my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.'