Book of Common Prayer

¹⁷ But, my dear brothers, you must remember what the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ said would happen.

¹⁸ They said to you, `At the end of time, men will come who will make fun of holy things. They will do the wrong things they themselves want to do.'

¹⁹ These are the men who make people go into different groups in the church meetings. They have only a man's heart. They do not have the Holy Spirit.

²⁰ But you, my dear brothers, must make your lives better in the holy things you believe. Talk to God in the Holy Spirit.

²¹ Keep yourselves in God's love. Wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come and help you. He will give you life that will live for ever.

²² Some people are not sure what they believe. Be kind to them by sharing in their troubles.

²³ Pull them out of the fire and save them. There are other people to whom you must be kind, but be careful about it. But you must hate even the clothes that bad people have worn.

²⁴ God can keep you from doing anything wrong. He can bring you to the place where he is great and you will be all good. You will be very happy.

²⁵ He is the only God. And he is our Saviour through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is great! He is wonderful! He has power! He has the right to rule! He was like that before time began! He is like that now! And he will be like that for ever. Yes, he will!

3 Tiberius Caesar had been king for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was the ruler of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene.

² Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God spoke to John in the desert. John was the son of Zechariah.

³ Then John went to all the country around the Jordan River. He told the people to stop doing wrong things, turn back to God and be baptised. And God would forgive them for the wrong things they did.

⁴ Isaiah, the prophet of God, wrote about him long ago in his book: `A man is calling out in the desert: "Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.

⁵ Every valley will be filled. Every big hill and every small hill will be cut down flat. Crooked roads will be made into straight roads. Bad roads will be made into good roads.

⁶ And all people will see that God can save." '

⁷ Many people came out to John to be baptised. He said to them, `You family of snakes! Who told you to run away from God's anger that is coming?

⁸ Do good things that will show you have stopped your wrong ways! Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We are Abraham's children. " I tell you, God can make children for Abraham from these stones.

⁹ The axe is ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not have good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.'