Book of Common Prayer

¹¹ Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy, all have one Father in heaven. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers.

¹² He said, `I will tell my brothers about you. I will sing praise about you among those who gather together for worship.'

¹³ He also said, `I will trust God.' And again, `Here am I and the children God has given to me.'

¹⁴ God's children all have a body. That is why Jesus himself had the same. But because Jesus also had a body, he was able to die and stop the devil. The devil has power to make people die. But Jesus, by his own death, was able to stop the power of death.

¹⁵ People were afraid to die. All their lives they were like slaves. When Jesus died, he was able to set them free from their fear.

¹⁶ Jesus did not come to help angels. He came to help people who were born in Abraham's family.

¹⁷ So he had to be made like his brothers in every way. Then he could be a high priest to make a way to God for them, a priest who was kind and true. He could make it possible for God to forgive people for the wrong things they had done.

¹⁸ He had a very hard time when he was tested. But because he was tested, he is able to help people who are tested.

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming to him. `Look,' said John. `See God's special Lamb! He takes away the wrong ways of the world.

³⁰ Here is the man I told you about. I said that the one who is coming after me is greater than I am, because he lived before I lived.

³¹ I myself did not know who he was. But I came and baptized people in water so that the people of Israel would know who he was.'

³² John also said, `I saw the Spirit coming from the sky. He came down on him like a dove. It stayed on him.

³³ I myself did not know who he was. But he who sent me to baptize people in water told me. He said, "You will see the Spirit coming from the sky on a man. That man will baptize people in the Holy Spirit."

³⁴ I saw the Spirit coming on him, and I have told you. This man is the Son of God.'

³⁵ The next day, John was standing with two of his followers.

³⁶ Jesus walked by. When John saw him, he said, `Look, see God's Lamb!'

³⁷ The two followers heard what John said, so they went after Jesus.

³⁸ Jesus turned. He saw them coming after him. He said to them, `What are you looking for?' They said, `Teacher, where do you live?'

³⁹ Jesus said, `Come and see.' They went and saw the place where Jesus was staying. The time was about four o'clock in the afternoon. They stayed with Jesus the rest of the day.

⁴⁰ Andrew was one of those two followers of John who heard John speak and went after Jesus. He was Simon Peter's brother.

⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did then was to find his brother Simon. He said, `We have found the Messiah!' (Messiah means the Christ, the messenger of God.)

⁴² Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, `You are Simon, the son of John. Your name will be Cephas.' (Cephas means Peter, a rock or stone.)