Book of Common Prayer
5 So try to be like God, because you are his own dear children.
2 Love others as Christ has loved us. He gave his life for us, a sweet smelling offering and a sacrifice to God.
3 As God's people, you should not even talk about wrong living, any kind of wrong sex or wanting things you cannot have.
4 There should be no dirty talk, no foolish talk, no funny stories with a wrong meaning. This is not a good way to talk. But what you should do is thank God.
5 You know this. There are people who use sex wrongly, and who are always wanting what others have. No such a person has any place in the kingdom of Christ and of God. He is worshipping an idol.
6 Do not let anyone fool you by their empty talk. It is because people do these wrong things that God is very angry. He is angry with the people who do not obey him.
7 So then, have nothing to do with them.
8 You were in the dark before, but now the Lord has given you light. Live like people who have the light.
9 People who have the light do all that is good and right and true.
10 Learn what pleases the Lord.
11 Have no part in the empty things people do in the dark. Show them that they are wrong.
12 It is a shame even to talk about the things they do in secret.
13 But when the light shines on something, it can be seen. Anything that shows up wrong ways is light.
14 So it is said, `Wake up, you who are asleep! Rise from death. And Christ will give you light.'
15 Take care how you live. Do not live like people who are not wise, but live like people who are wise.
16 Make good use of time because people live in very wrong ways these days.
17 So then, be wise and understand what the Lord wants.
18 Do not get drunk with wine. That is living in a wrong way. But be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another by the songs in the holy writings, and songs of praise, and Christian songs. Sing and make a joyful noise in your hearts to the Lord.
20 Always thank God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 Jesus went on from there. He saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the place where people came to pay taxes. Jesus said to him, `Come with me.' Matthew stood up and went with him.
10 Jesus was eating in a house. Many tax collectors and bad people came in. They sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples.
11 The Pharisees saw this. They said to his disciples, `Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and bad people?'
12 Jesus heard it. He said to them, `People who are well do not need a doctor. But sick people need him.
13 Go and learn what this means: "I want you to be kind. I do not want a sacrifice." I did not come to call good people. I came to call bad people to stop doing wrong things.'
14 Then John's disciples came to Jesus. They said, `We and the Pharisees fast. Why do your disciples not do the same?'
15 Jesus answered, `The people at a wedding cannot be sad while the man who is married is with them. But the time will come when he will be taken away from them. Then they will not eat.
16 No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat. If he does, the new cloth will tear the old coat. Then the hole is bigger than it was before.
17 `People do not put new wine into old wine skins. If they do, the old skins break. The wine is lost and the skins are spoiled. New wine is put into new skins. And so they are both saved.'
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