Book of Common Prayer

Our Boast As We Endure Our Suffering Is Our Blameless And Forthright Behavior Toward You

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of ^[a] our conscience that we conducted-ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in simplicity^[b] and purity^[c] from God^[d]; and not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God. ¹³ For we are writing no other things to you other than the things which you read or indeed understand. And I hope that you will understand until the end^[e]— ¹⁴ just as you also did understand us in part— that we are your boast, even as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus.

And In This Confidence I Was Intending To Come To You First, Then Go To Macedonia

¹⁵ And in this confidence, I was intending first^[f] to come to you in order that you might have a second^[g] benefit^[h], ¹⁶ and^[i] to go through you to Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again to you, and to be sent-forward by you to Judea.

I Do Not Make My Plans Lightly, But I Changed My Plans In Order To Spare You

¹⁷ Therefore, while intending this, I did not then act with lightness, did I ? Or do I plan^[j] the things which I plan according-to the flesh— so that^[k] there is with me the yes, yes, and the no, no? ¹⁸ But as God is faithful^[l], our message to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹ For God’s Son Jesus Christ, the One having been proclaimed among you by us— by me and Silvanus and Timothy— did not become^[m] yes and no, but has become yes in Him. ²⁰ For as many as there are promises of God, in Him is the yes^[n]! Therefore also through Him is [spoken] the amen^[o] to God for His glory, through^[p] us. ²¹ And the One establishing us with you for^[q] Christ and having anointed us is God— ²² the One also having sealed us and given the pledge^[r] of the Spirit in our hearts.

Parables For Sinners And Pharisees

15 Now all the tax-collectors and the sinners were drawing-near to Him to hear Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying that “This One is welcoming sinners and eating with them”.

The Lost Sheep And Lost Coin: Heaven Rejoices When a Sinner Repents

³ And He spoke this parable to them, saying ⁴ “What man from-among you having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, does not leave-behind the ninety nine in the wilderness and proceed after the one having become-lost until he finds it? ⁵ And having found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And having come to the house, he calls-together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice-with me, because I found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I say to you that in this manner there will be joy in heaven over one sinner repenting more-than^[a] over ninety nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance. ⁸ Or what woman having ten drachmas^[b], if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully until which time she finds it ? ⁹ And having found it, she calls together her women friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice-with me, because I found the drachma which I lost!’ ¹⁰ In this manner, I say to you, joy comes-about in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting”.