Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Who will do something bad to you if you want to do what is good?

¹⁴ But even if people trouble you because you do right, God will bless you. Do not be afraid of them. And do not be troubled.

¹⁵ Worship Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. But be gentle and respect him.

¹⁶ Keep your hearts clean. Then when people say wrong things about you, they will be ashamed because they have talked wrongly about your good Christian life.

¹⁷ It is better to have trouble for doing right, if God allows it, than to have trouble for doing wrong.

¹⁸ For Christ died that once because of our wrong ways. He was good and he died for those who were bad. He did this to bring us to God. His body died, but his spirit had new life.

¹⁹ His spirit went and gave his message to people's spirits who were in prison.

²⁰ In the days long ago, they did not obey God. God waited for them to do so while Noah was building the big house on the boat. A few people, only eight, were saved by going through the water.

²¹ The water of baptism is like that. It saves you. It does not save you because it washes dirt from your bodies. But it saves you because you bring yourselves to God with a clean heart. It saves you because Jesus Christ has been raised from death.

²² He has gone up into heaven. He is now at the right side of God. Angels, rulers, and governments obey him.

21 Jesus and his disciples came near to Jerusalem. They came to the village of Bethphage by the hill called the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead.

² He said to them, `Go into the village in front of you. As soon as you go in, you will find a donkey for riding, and her young one. They are tied there. Untie them and bring them to me.

³ If anyone says anything to you, tell him, "The Lord needs them. He will send them back soon." '

⁴ This happened, and what the prophet of God said long ago, came true.

⁵ He said, `Tell the people of Zion: See, your king is coming to you. He is not proud. He rides a donkey. It is a young animal.'

⁶ The disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do.

⁷ They brought the donkey and her young one. They put their coats on them. Then Jesus got on to ride.

⁸ Many people spread their coats on the road. Others cut leaves from the palm trees and put them on the road.

⁹ People in front of him and people behind him shouted, `Praise the Son of David! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise him in heaven!'

¹⁰ When Jesus came into Jerusalem, all the people there were very excited. They said, `Who is this?'

¹¹ The people who were with Jesus said, `This is Jesus from the town of Nazareth in Galilee. He is a prophet.'

¹² Jesus went into the temple of God. He drove out all the people who were buying and selling in the temple. He threw down the tables of the money changers. He pushed down the seats of those who sold doves.

¹³ He said to them, `The holy writings say, "My house shall be called a house where people talk with God." But you have made it a place for people who steal!'