Book of Common Prayer

¹⁴ Tell people these things again. Tell them before the Lord not to quarrel in their teaching. There is no good in doing that. It upsets the minds of those who listen to them.

¹⁵ Try to show God that you are a good worker. Do nothing you would be ashamed of. Tell the true message in the right way.

¹⁶ Have no part in foolish talk that does not come from God. That kind of talk will take people farther and farther away from God.

¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like bad sickness. Hymenaeus and Philetus are two like that.

¹⁸ These men say that the time when people are raised from death is past already. That is not true. And what they say is making some people stop believing.

¹⁹ But the truth of God stands strong. It cannot change. These words are sure: `The Lord knows the people who belong to him' and, `Let all those who use the name of the Lord stop their wrong ways.'

²⁰ In a large house there are many pots. They are not all made of gold and silver. Some are made of wood, and some of earth. Some are used for fine things and some are used for things that are not so fine.

²¹ So if a person keeps himself clean from these things, he will be like a dish that is used for a fine work. It is kept as a better dish for the head man of the house, and it is ready for any good thing he wants to use it for.

²² Have no part at all in the wrong things that young men like to do. Believe. Have love. Follow what is right. Live at peace. Do these things along with others who have a clean heart and talk to God.

²³ Keep out of foolish quarrels. You know that they start fights.

²⁴ The Lord's servant must not fight. But he must be kind to all people. He must be a good teacher to them. He must be patient with them.

²⁵ When he corrects those who are against him, he must do it in a gentle way. It may be that God will turn their hearts to know what is true.

²⁶ And they may get free again from the devil's trap. He has caught them to do what he wants them to do.

¹⁷ Jesus started on the way again. A man came running and kneeled down before him. He said, `Good Teacher, what must I do so that I will live for ever?'

¹⁸ Jesus said, `Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

¹⁹ You know the laws: "Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not tell lies. Do not cheat. Respect your father and your mother." '

²⁰ The man answered Jesus. He said, `Teacher, I have kept all those laws since I was a boy.'

²¹ Jesus looked at him. He loved him. He said, `You need one thing more. Go home. Sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor people. You will be rich in heaven. So be ready to carry your own cross and come with me.'

²² When the young man heard that, he was sad, because he was very rich. So he went away.

²³ Then Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, `It is very hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.'

²⁴ The disciples were surprised at his words. But Jesus said again, `Children, it is very hard for people who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.

²⁵ It is easier for a big animal to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'

²⁶ They were very much surprised. They said, `Then who can be saved?'

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, `Men cannot do it but God can, because God can do anything.'

²⁸ Peter began to speak and said to him, `See, we have left all things and have come with you.'

³⁰ Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. If any man has left his house, or his brothers, or his sisters, his mother, or his father, or his children, or farms, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, he will receive his pay in this life. He will have a hundred times as many houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and farms. He will have trouble also. But in the next world he will live for ever.

³¹ But many people who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.'