Book of Common Prayer

²⁴ And now, even though I suffer for you, I am happy. There are still some things for Christ to suffer in his body, which is the church. So I am glad to take my share of his suffering in my body.

²⁵ God gave me work to do for the church people so that you might know all of God's message.

²⁶ This message is about the secret plan of God. People who lived in all the past times of the world did not know about this plan. But now it has been told to God's people.

²⁷ He wanted them to know that his plan is very great and wonderful for those who are not Jews. And this plan is that Christ is in you! He is your hope for all the wonderful things that are to come.

²⁸ We tell about him. We tell everyone to be careful to live in the right way. We teach everyone all he needs to know. We do this so that we can bring everyone before God and he will be grown up in the things of Christ.

²⁹ And I am working for this with all the strength that God gives me.

2 I want you to know how much I care for you and those in the city of Laodicea, and even all those who have never seen me.

² I want them to be strong and to love one another. I want them to understand everything. I want them to know in a more perfect way about God's plan, which is Christ.

³ All the wonderful things there are to know about the plan are found in Christ.

⁴ I say this so that no one may lead you the wrong way by their fine words.

⁵ Even though I am not with you in body, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to see that you stand together well and that you keep on believing in Christ.

⁶ You received Christ Jesus the Lord. So live in him.

⁷ Let your heart be planted in him. Grow up in him. Believe with all your heart what you were taught. And be very thankful to God.

4 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert. The devil tried to make Jesus do wrong.

² Jesus did not eat anything for forty days and forty nights. Then he was very hungry.

³ The one who tries to make people do wrong came and said to him, `If you are God's Son, tell these stones to be changed into bread.'

⁴ But Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "Man cannot live on bread only. He needs to live by every word that God says." '

⁵ Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city. He put him on a high part of the temple.

⁶ The devil said to him, `If you are God's Son, jump down. The holy writings say, "God will tell his angels to take care of you. They will hold you up in their hands so that you will not knock your foot on a stone." '

⁷ Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "You must not test the Lord your God." '

⁸ The devil took Jesus to a very high hill. He showed him all the countries of the world and how great they were.

⁹ He said to Jesus, `I will give you all these if you kneel down and worship me.'

¹⁰ But Jesus answered him, `Get away, Satan. The holy writings say, "You must worship the Lord your God. and he is the only one you are to worship." '

¹¹ Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and took care of him.