Book of Common Prayer

⁷ The old law that brought death was written on pieces of rock. There was a very bright light when God gave it to the people. The people of Israel could not look at Moses because his face was so bright. And even as they saw it, the light on his face was going away.

⁸ Now bringing the law was bright and wonderful. Will not bringing the Spirit be far more bright and wonderful?

⁹ Bringing the law was a wonderful thing even though it brought death. So bringing the good news that people can be put right with God is much more wonderful.

¹⁰ The law was so bright and wonderful at first but has no light now. There is something else that is so much more bright and wonderful.

¹¹ The one which does not stay alive for ever came first in a great light. Does not the one which does stay alive have a much brighter light?

¹² Because we believe this, we do not fear.

¹³ We are not like Moses. He put a cloth over his face so that the people of Israel would not see that the light from God was dying.

¹⁴ But their minds were made dull. Even today, when the old law of God is read, it is as if a cloth still covers it. It is Christ who takes the cloth away.

¹⁵ Yes, even today, when the books of Moses are read, it is as if a cloth covers their hearts and minds.

¹⁶ But when a man turns to the Lord, the cloth is taken away.

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are set free.

¹⁸ All of us have no cloth over our faces. People can see that we have some of the bright and wonderful light that the Lord has. And we are becoming brighter and brighter, more and more like him. It is the Lord, the Spirit, who does this.

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.'