Book of Common Prayer

⁷ It is almost the time when the world will end. So be wise and watch and talk to God.

⁸ Here is something that matters very much. You must love each other very much. Love will cover up many wrong things.

⁹ Be glad to take other Christians into your house and care for them. And do not grumble about it.

¹⁰ God has given each person a gift. That gift is something he can do. Each one should use his gift to help the others. In that way you all make good use of the many blessings God has given you.

¹¹ Has God blessed you by knowing how to talk? Then you should talk the words of God. Are you a helper? Then you should help with the strength God has given you. In all that you do, you should show that God is great through Jesus Christ. He has praise and power for ever. Yes, he has!

¹² My dear brothers, do not be surprised by the hard trouble like fire that comes to test you. Do not think some new thing is happening to you.

¹³ Be glad when you suffer as Christ did. Then you will also be very glad when he comes and you see how great he is.

¹⁴ Do men say wrong things about you because you are a Christian? Then you are blessed because the wonderful Spirit, the Spirit of God, is with you.

¹⁵ Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not do wrong. Do not try to boss other people. None of you should suffer because you have done these things.

¹⁶ But if a man suffers because he is a Christian, he should not be ashamed of it. He should praise God that he is a Christian.

¹⁷ The time has come for God to judge people. God's people will be judged first. If we are judged first, what will happen at the end to those who do not obey the good news of God?

¹⁸ The holy writings say, `If it is hard for a good person to be saved, what will happen to a person who is against God and lives a bad life?'

¹⁹ If God allows you to suffer, trust him. He made you and you can trust him. But keep on doing good things.

¹⁶ `Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me again, because I go to my Father.'

¹⁷ Some of the disciples talked among themselves and said, `He says, "Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me." And he says, "Because I go to my Father." What does he mean by "a little while"?

¹⁸ We do not know what he means.'

¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him this question. So he said to them, `Are you asking each other what I mean by saying, "Very soon you will not see me. Then in a little while after that you will see me"?

²⁰ I tell you the truth. You people will cry and be very sad, but the people in the world will be very glad. At first you will be sad, but after that you will not be sad. You will be glad.

²¹ `Any woman is sad just before her baby is born. She has much pain because the time has come for the baby to be born. But as soon as the baby is born, she forgets the pain she had. She is very glad because a person has been born into the world.

²² So you also are very sad now. But I will see you again. Then you will be very glad. And no one can take your joy from you.

²³ When that time comes, you will not ask me for anything. I tell you the truth. My Father will do for you anything you ask in my name.

²⁴ You have not asked for anything in my name yet. Ask my Father and he will give it to you. That is what will make you very glad always.

²⁵ `I have told you these things by a story. The time will come when I will not talk by stories. I will tell you about my Father plainly.

²⁶ When that day comes, you will ask in my name. I do not say that I will ask my Father for you.

²⁷ My Father himself loves you. He loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have believed that God sent me.

²⁸ My Father sent me into the world. And now I will leave the world and go back to my Father.'

²⁹ The disciples said to him, `Yes, now you are telling us plainly. You are not telling us with words we do not understand.

³⁰ We know now that you know everything. No one needs to ask you questions. This makes us believe that God sent you.'

³¹ Jesus answered them, `Do you really believe now?

³² Listen, the time is coming. No, the time is here when you will run away. Every man will go to his own home. You will leave me on my own. And yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me.

³³ I have told you these things so that you may have peace. I give you peace. The world will trouble you much. But be glad. I have power over the world.'