Book of Common Prayer

⁹ I am John, your brother. I belong to Jesus and I am having big trouble just as you are. I also belong to his kingdom and I wait patiently for it. I was on an island called Patmos because I told the word of God and talked about Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. Behind me I heard a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet or horn.

¹¹ The voice said, `Write what you see in a book. Send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.'

¹² I turned to see who was talking to me. I saw seven gold lamps.

¹³ In the centre of the seven lamps I saw someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long gown with a wide, gold belt around his chest.

¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like sheep's hair, white as snow. His eyes shone like a flame of fire.

¹⁵ His feet shone like fine brass that has been made pure by fire. His voice was like the sound of much water flowing.

¹⁶ In his right hand he had seven stars. Out of his mouth came a long knife or sword, sharp on both sides. His face shone like the sun when it is shining very brightly.

³⁴ The Pharisees heard that the Sadducees could not answer Jesus. So they got together.

³⁵ One of them was a man who taught God's law. He asked Jesus a question to try him out.

³⁶ `Teacher,' he said, `which law is the greatest law of all?'

³⁷ Jesus said, ` "Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love him with all your soul, and love him with all your mind."

³⁸ This is the first and greatest law.

³⁹ The second law of God is like it. "Love your neighbour as you love yourself."

⁴⁰ All that is written in the books of the law and the books of the prophets is about these two laws.'

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them a question.

⁴² He said, `What do you think about Christ? Whose son is he?' They said, `He is David's son.'

⁴³ Jesus asked, `Then how can David call him "Lord"? He said, by the Spirit,

⁴⁴ "The Lord said to my Lord, `Sit beside me until I make you master over your enemies.' "

⁴⁵ David calls Christ his Lord. How can Christ be David's son?'

⁴⁶ No one could answer him a word. And after that day, everyone feared to ask him any more questions.