Book of Common Prayer

Our Boast As We Endure Our Suffering Is Our Blameless And Forthright Behavior Toward You

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of ^[a] our conscience that we conducted-ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in simplicity^[b] and purity^[c] from God^[d]; and not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God. ¹³ For we are writing no other things to you other than the things which you read or indeed understand. And I hope that you will understand until the end^[e]— ¹⁴ just as you also did understand us in part— that we are your boast, even as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus.

And In This Confidence I Was Intending To Come To You First, Then Go To Macedonia

¹⁵ And in this confidence, I was intending first^[f] to come to you in order that you might have a second^[g] benefit^[h], ¹⁶ and^[i] to go through you to Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again to you, and to be sent-forward by you to Judea.

I Do Not Make My Plans Lightly, But I Changed My Plans In Order To Spare You

¹⁷ Therefore, while intending this, I did not then act with lightness, did I ? Or do I plan^[j] the things which I plan according-to the flesh— so that^[k] there is with me the yes, yes, and the no, no? ¹⁸ But as God is faithful^[l], our message to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹ For God’s Son Jesus Christ, the One having been proclaimed among you by us— by me and Silvanus and Timothy— did not become^[m] yes and no, but has become yes in Him. ²⁰ For as many as there are promises of God, in Him is the yes^[n]! Therefore also through Him is [spoken] the amen^[o] to God for His glory, through^[p] us. ²¹ And the One establishing us with you for^[q] Christ and having anointed us is God— ²² the One also having sealed us and given the pledge^[r] of the Spirit in our hearts.

You Are Salt And Light. Salt Must Be Tasty. Light Must Shine

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should become-tasteless, with what will it be salted^[a]? It no longer has strength for anything except, having been thrown outside, to be trampled-underfoot by people. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand— and it shines on all the ones in the house. ¹⁶ In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.

I Came To Fulfill The Law. Your Righteousness Must Abound More Than The Pharisees

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to abolish^[b] the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill^[c]. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota^[d] or one stroke^[e] will by no means pass away from the Law until all things take-place^[f]. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks^[g] one of the least of these commandments and in this manner teaches people— he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does and teaches them— this one will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness abounds more^[h] than [that of] the scribes and Pharisees, you will by-no-means^[i] enter into the kingdom of the heavens!