Book of Common Prayer

²¹ Are they Hebrew people? So am I. Are they Israel's people? So am I. Is Abraham their father? He is mine too.

²² Are they workers for Christ? (I talk like one who is not in his right mind.) I am a better worker. I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have been beaten many, many times. Often I have almost died.

²³ The Jewish leaders five times gave me thirty nine strikes with the rope.

²⁴ Three times people beat me with sticks, and once they threw rocks at me. Three times I was in a boat when it broke in the sea. I have been in the water all one night and day.

²⁵ I have travelled much. I have crossed bad rivers. I have gone where men might steal my things. The Jews and those who are not Jews have troubled me. I have been in hard places in the city. I have had hard times in the desert. I have had hard times on the water. I have had hard times among those who should have been my brothers and were not.

²⁶ I have worked hard. I have been tired out. I have often had no sleep at night. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have often had nothing to eat. I have been cold and did not have enough clothes to wear.

²⁷ Beside all other things, my heart is troubled about the churches. That is a load I carry every day.

²⁸ When anyone is weak, I am weak too. When anyone is made to fall away, my heart burns within me

³⁰ If I must talk about myself, I will talk about the things that show I am weak.

³¹ God knows I am not telling lies. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and he is to be praised forever. 32In the city of Damascus a man ruled for king Aretas. He had the gates of the city guarded because he wanted to catch me.

³⁵ In the evening of that day, Jesus said to his disciples, `Let us cross over to the other side of the sea.'

³⁶ The disciples left the people and took Jesus away in the boat he was in. Other little boats were with him.

³⁷ A very strong wind began to blow. Water came in the boat. It began to fill up with water.

³⁸ Jesus was in the back end of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up. `Master,' they shouted. `We will die! Do you not care?'

³⁹ Then Jesus got up. He said to the wind and the sea, `Stop!' The wind stopped. Then all was quiet.

⁴⁰ Then he said to the disciples, `Why do you fear? Do you not believe in God?'

⁴¹ The disciples were surprised. They said to each other, `What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'