Book of Common Prayer

For You Have Come To The City of God, The Heavenly Jerusalem

¹⁸ For you have not come-to a mountain being touched^[a], and a fire having been burning, and darkness and gloom and a storm, ¹⁹ and a blast of a trumpet, and a sound of words— of which, the ones having heard begged that a word not be added to them. ²⁰ For they were not bearing the thing being commanded: “If even a wild-animal should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned” [Ex 19:12-13]. ²¹ And so fearful was the thing appearing^[b], Moses said “I am terrified and trembling”. ²² But you have come to Mount Zion; and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and the myriads of angels, a festive-gathering^[c]; ²³ and the church^[d] of the firstborn ones having been registered^[e] in the heavens; and the Judge, God of all; and the spirits of righteous ones having been perfected; ²⁴ and the mediator of the new covenant, Jesus; and the blood of sprinkling speaking better than Abel.

Do Not Refuse The One Warning From Heaven, But Worship Him With Gratitude

²⁵ Be watching-out that you not refuse^[f] the One speaking. For if those did not escape, having refused the One warning on earth, much more we will not escape: the ones turning-away-from the One warning from the heavens— ²⁶ Whose voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, saying [in Hag 2:6] “I will shake once more not only the earth, but also the heaven”. ²⁷ And the phrase “once more” indicates the removal of the things being shaken— as of things having been made— so that the things not being shaken may continue. ²⁸ Therefore while receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship^[g] God pleasingly^[h], with reverence and awe. ²⁹ For indeed our God is a consuming fire.

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless the seed of wheat having fallen to the earth dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ The one loving his life loses it, and the one hating his life in this world will keep^[a] it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him be following Me. And where I am, there also My servant will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. ²⁷ Now My soul has been troubled. And what should I say— ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this reason I came to this hour! ²⁸ Father, glorify Your name!”

Now Is The Judgment of This World. If I Am Lifted Up, I Will Draw All People To Myself

Then a voice came from heaven: “I both glorified it, and will again glorify it”. ²⁹ Then the crowd, the one standing there and having heard, was saying that thunder had taken place. Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him”. ³⁰ Jesus responded and said, “This voice has taken place not for My sake, but for your sakes. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world! Now the ruler of this world will be cast out! ³² And if I am lifted-up^[b] from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself ”.