Book of Common Prayer

Brothers, We Ask You To Abound Even More In Holiness, For This Is God’s Will

4 Finally then, brothers, we ask you, and exhort in the Lord Jesus that just as you received from us how you ought-to be walking and pleasing God (just as you also are walking), that you be abounding more. ² For you know what commands we gave to you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God: your holiness^[a]— that you be abstaining^[b] from sexual-immorality; ⁴ that each of you know-how to acquire^[c] control of his own vessel^[d] in holiness and honor, ⁵ not in the passion of ^[e] desire^[f] as indeed the Gentiles not knowing God; ⁶ that^[g] no one overstep^[h] and exploit^[i] his brother^[j] in the matter^[k]. Because the Lord is the avenger concerning all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly-warned. ⁷ For God did not call us for^[l] impurity, but in^[m] holiness. ⁸ So-therefore^[n] the one rejecting is not rejecting a human, but God, the One also giving His Holy Spirit to you.

But You Know From God To Love One Another. We Exhort You To Abound Even More

⁹ But concerning brotherly-love, you have no need that anyone should be writing to you. For you yourselves are God-taught so-that you might be loving one another. ¹⁰ For indeed you are doing it toward all the brothers in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to be abounding more, ¹¹ and to be ambitious^[o] to be quiet^[p], and to be doing^[q] your own things and working with your own hands just as we commanded you, ¹² in order that you may walk properly toward the ones outside and may have need of nothing^[r].

Jesus Asks How The Messiah Can Be The Son of David Since David Calls Him His Lord

⁴¹ And He said to them, “How is it that they say that the Christ is David’s son? ⁴² For David himself says in the book of Psalms [110:1], ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Be sitting on My right side ⁴³ until I put Your enemies as a footstool of Your feet”’. ⁴⁴ Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’. And how^[a] is He his son?”

Jesus Warns The Disciples To Beware of The Scribes

⁴⁵ And while all the people were listening, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes— the ones delighting to walk around in robes, and loving greetings in the marketplaces and seats-of-honor in the synagogues and places-of-honor at the banquets; ⁴⁷ who are devouring^[b] the houses of the widows, and praying long for a pretense. These ones will receive greater condemnation”.

Jesus Uses The Widow’s Offering To Illustrate True Giving

21 And having looked-up, He saw the rich ones throwing their gifts into the treasury^[c]. ² And He saw a certain needy widow throwing two leptos^[d] there. ³ And He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow threw more than all. ⁴ For all these ones threw into the gifts out of the money abounding^[e] to them. But this one, out of her lack^[f], threw all the living^[g] which she was having.