Book of Common Prayer

¹² My brothers, I beg you, be like me because I am like you. You did me no wrong.

¹³ You know that I was sick when I first told you the good news.

¹⁴ My sickness troubled you. But you did not think wrongly of me or turn away from me. You received me as if I were an angel from God, as if I were Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Why are you not happy any more? I saw myself that you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if you could do such a thing.

¹⁶ Do you hate me because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷ Other people are trying hard to get you on their side. But they do not mean to help you. They want to get you away from Christ so that you will listen to them.

¹⁸ Of course, it is good if someone tries to help you, but only if it is for a good reason. It is always good, not only when I am with you.

¹⁹ My dear children, I feel pain for you again, like a mother when her child is being born. I will feel pain until Christ lives in your heart.

²⁰ I wish I could be with you now, and not have to talk this way. But I am troubled about you.

8 Again at that time many, many people came together. They had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples. He said,

² `I share the suffering of the people. They have been with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.

³ If I send them home hungry, they will get weak and fall on the way. Some of them have come a long way.'

⁴ His disciples answered, `Where can anyone get enough food in this lonely place to feed so many people?'

⁵ Jesus asked them, `How many loaves of bread have you?' They said, `Seven.'

⁶ He told the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves of bread and thanked God for them. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. They gave it to the people.

⁷ They had a few small fish. Jesus told the disciples to divide the fish among the people also.

⁸ The people ate and had enough. They gathered seven baskets full of pieces that were left.

⁹ The number of men who ate was about four thousand.

¹⁰ Jesus sent them away. Then right away he got in the boat with his disciples and went to the country around Dalmanutha.