Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ Children, we are very near the end of time. You have heard that someone will come who is against Christ. Many who are against Christ have already come. That is how we know that we are very near the end of time.

¹⁹ They left us, but they did not belong with us. If they had belonged with us, they would have stayed with us. But they left us so that people could see that all of them did not belong with us.

²⁰ But the Holy One has given you a gift of understanding so that you all may know what is true.

²¹ I write to you, not because you do not know what is true, but because you do know. And you know that no lie is true.

²² Who then is the one who says what is not true? It is the one who says that Jesus is not the Christ. That person is against Christ, because he says there is no Father and there is no Son.

²³ Everyone who says Jesus is not the Son does not know the Father. And everyone who says Jesus is the Son knows the Father.

²⁴ So keep what you have heard from the beginning. If you keep what you have heard from the beginning, you too belong to the Son and to the Father.

²⁵ And he himself has promised us that we will live for ever.

²⁶ I have written these things to you about the ones who try to fool you.

²⁷ You have a gift of understanding from Christ. That gift stays with you. You do not need anyone to teach you. His gift teaches you about everything. It is true. It is not a lie. So stay with him as he has taught you.

²⁸ Now, my children, stay with Christ. Then we will not be afraid on that day when we see him again. We will not be ashamed to stand before him when he comes again.

²⁹ You know that he does what is right. So you know also that everyone who does what is right is his child.

¹⁹ The Jews did not all say the same thing because of what Jesus said.

²⁰ Many of them said, `A bad spirit is in him. He is crazy. Why do you listen to him?'

²¹ But others said, `A person who has a bad spirit in him does not say the things this man says. Can a bad spirit make blind people see?'

²² At that time there was a feast in Jerusalem at the temple. It was the cold time of the year.

²³ Jesus was walking in that part of the temple called Solomon's resting place.

²⁴ The Jews came around Jesus and said, `How long will you keep us wondering about this matter? If you are really the Christ, then tell us plainly.'

²⁵ Then Jesus said, `I have already told you and you did not believe it. My Father has given me the power to do big works. These works tell you who I am.

²⁶ And yet you do not believe because you are not my sheep. I told you this before.

²⁷ My sheep listen to me. I know them. They come to me.

²⁸ I give them life that lasts for ever. They will never die. No one will take them out of my hand.

²⁹ My Father gave the sheep to me. He is greater than anyone else. No one is able to take them out of my Father's hand.

³⁰ My Father and I are one.'