Book of Common Prayer
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should talk to God about it. Is any one of you happy? He should sing songs of praise to God.
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call for the leaders of the church people. They should talk to God about him and put oil on him in the name of the Lord.
15 Because they talk to God, and believe, he will hear them. The sick man will be healed. The Lord will make him well again. If the sick man has done wrong things, the Lord will forgive him.
16 So tell one another the wrong things you have done. And tell God about each other's needs, so that you will be healed. When a good man talks to God, big things can be done.
17 Elijah was a man like us. He asked God not to let it rain. And for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
18 Then he talked to God again. And it rained. Plants grew on the earth.
19 My brothers, has one of you left the right way? Has another person brought him back again?
20 Do not forget that the person who has brought a man back from his wrong ways will save that man from death. He will cover up many wrong things and be forgiven.
9 There were some people who thought they were very good. And they thought that other people were not good. Jesus told this story to them.
10 He said, `Two men went to the temple to talk with God. One was a Pharisee and the other one was a tax collector.
11 `The Pharisee stood and said to himself, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men. They steal, cheat, and commit adultery. I thank you that I am not like this tax collector.
12 Two times in the week I do not eat - I fast. I give away one tenth part of all I get."
13 `The tax collector stood far away. He did not even look up towards heaven. But he beat his chest, and said, "God, I am a bad man. Help me!"
14 I tell you, when this man went home, he was right with God. The other one was not. Everyone who puts himself up in a high place will be brought down to a low place. And everyone who puts himself in a low place will be brought up to a high place.'
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